


The Legend of Zelda: The Alternate Link

by HylianHarmony



Series: Cross-Links [1]
Category: The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Genre: Action/Adventure, Counterparts - Freeform, Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, Drama, Fantasy, Friendship, Gen, Hints of Family, Humor, Kingdom of Hyrule, Magic usage, Protective Link, Skyward Sword Elements, Some Violence/Mentions of Blood, Some angst and hurt/comfort, Unique Boss Monsters, WW & TP crossover, Wind Waker Link's nickname is Kid
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-12
Updated: 2018-11-12
Packaged: 2019-08-22 19:41:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 38
Words: 235,209
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16604306
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HylianHarmony/pseuds/HylianHarmony
Summary: While looking for treasure the Wind Waker bunch stumbles into a world parallel to theirs, a place called Hyrule, and it's not under an ocean this time! They need a way back home and look to a familiar hero and princess for help. Friendships are made, secrets are uncovered, old friends and enemies appear, and misunderstandings are everywhere! Will they get home or die trying? Spoilers for The Wind Waker, Twilight Princess, Skyward Sword and Ocarina of Time.





	1. Prologue

Legend tells of a prosperous land where there is peace among the inhabitants and miles of green as far as the eye can see. Legend also claims that this land, called Hyrule, was home to a boy that traveled through time. This boy's name was first whispered among the trees of the land until people caught wind of it and it became legend. None are more observant than the trees. They live countless years, much longer than any mortal could, and so they witnessed the golden land's distress and the boy who aimed to save it.

They witnessed him gathering sacred gems and then entering a temple. The Temple of Time, and it was here that the trees noted how the boy never emerged from the temple until seven years later. Wielding a sword with the power to repel evil and, no longer a boy but a man, the hero stood and took in the sight that was once Hyrule.

Many years it takes to construct but demolishing something, now, that is much easier. The once prosperous land was now desolate and devoid of life. A high tension hung in the still air and hope was now just a dream, a child's fantasy to the inhabitants.

Despite the fallen kingdom the hero took sword in hand and battled his way valiantly through the hordes of monsters, stopping to help anyone he could. With new found hope the land began to possess small sections of light where darkness had been banished and sages had been awoken.

The hero eventually made his way to the King of Evil's lair, the once grand Hyrule Castle. There he freed the princess and together, with the aid of the sages, they sealed the Dark King away in the sacred realm and peace and light was restored to the land.

In thanks the princess sent the hero back in time to relive the years he lost. The trees distinctly remember the Hero of Time. His courage and sacrifice had been carved into their roots, never to be forgotten. Yet time travel is a tricky concept, and in doing so it created two different versions of the same land. Two alternate universes if you will. Though they were different they were close. Two sides of the same coin.

A single coins two sides can never touch each other and much in this fashion is how these worlds were meant to be: ignorant of each other, neither ever knowing of the other's existence. Yet, both rely on the other for if one side of a coin is bent so is the other side. Magic exists in both of these alternate lands. Magic is a mysterious force with little to no logic behind it, and that is what makes it so dangerous.

However it is very powerful and can be found almost anywhere if you look closely enough. With the use of magic it could very well result in an event that allows both sides of the coin to touch. It's a funny thing, magic. It seems to be able to do the impossible, and turn the most unlikely situation into one that is the most likely to happen…


	2. The Hidden Treasure

A pirate ship had just pulled up and weighed anchor at Windfall Island. This pirate ship was well known across the Great Sea for causing trouble with a whimsical crew and a quite young but feisty captain. Aboard this ship, besides obviously the crew and its captain, were a young boy with the title Hero of Winds, a little girl, a young Rito girl, and a Korok.

The strange group were all there on a mission. Not to pillage or drink, although the crew will probably end up doing just that, but to investigate a treasure chart that had been found among many old papers, charts, and notices of the captain's mother. The treasure itself was unclear, but as a pirate the young captain couldn't resist and whatever the wish of the captain was the wish of the crew.

"Come on, Link! Hurry up!" Tetra called, especially short tempered today although it was hard to tell because the fourteen year old girl never seemed to be in a genuinely good mood.

"I'm coming!" shouted the green clothed hero from the other side of the ship, who was hastily trying to strap on his shield to his back while walking. Link hurried over to Tetra and the others with his little sister close on his heels.

"Whoa, whoa! Hold it right there little girl!" Tetra exclaimed putting a hand up and stopping Aryll in her tracks, "Where do you think you're going?"

"With you! Big Brother said I could!" beamed Aryll proudly, "He even gave me my telescope back, so I can be a lookout for you guys!" Tetra then shot an accusing look at Link, arms crossed impatiently waiting for an explanation.

"She won't be a problem. I already discussed with her what to do if we get ambushed. Besides this is the first time in a year that she got to see me, so I don't think it's fair to leave her behind," Link defended his case as if he'd rehearsed it a thousand times.

Tetra let out an exasperated sigh and muttered something unintelligible before speaking, "Fine. Let's go," she turned to her crew, "The rest of you stay with the ship! That's an order!" Then Tetra, Link, Medli, Aryll, and Makar departed from the ship and made their way to the only grave on the island.

The treasure chart, from what Tetra had deciphered, led to the lone grave on Windfall and apparently the treasure was hidden underneath it. From there it had stated that the treasure could only be uncovered by the Sage of Earth and Sage of Wind which is why Medli and Makar had been requested to tag along.

All the treasure, of course, would be shared equally once it was discovered. The grave was in relatively good shape but the writing was in ancient Hylian which was illegible to Medli but didn't pose much of a problem since they didn't need to know what was inscribed there even if some of them were curious.

Link, using his power bracelets, pulled the gravestone back to reveal a hole with a ladder leading down into inky darkness. Anticipating the lack of light, they had brought along candles. Tetra lit one and handed it to Link who took it before descending the ladder.

When Link called up that he had made it to the bottom, Medli climbed down next, then Aryll with Makar in her skinny arms. Tetra lit another candle before following her companions down into the hole. The passageway was narrow so they had to walk single file. Thankfully their candles, although wavering slightly, stayed lit. If they were blown out it would be nearly impossible to ignite them again in this hole.

The path wasn't very diverse and followed a linear trail, sloping downward every so often, and leading them deeper into the ground. After ten minutes or so the passage opened into a wider room, one where they could all stand side by side. It wasn't much different than the gently declining dirt walkway that had brought them there, aside from the size and bronze tiled floor with meticulously carved symbols embedded into their surfaces that the group assumed was some foreign type of Hylian. Tetra stepped forward and held the candle up to the wall in front of her to inspect it. Illuminated by candlelight was a series of notes etched into the stone. Below that was another measure of notes.

"Oh, I think I get it!" exclaimed Medli, pointing slightly to the left side of the notes. Tetra trained her light on the space that Medli was indicating. Letters were inscribed in ancient Hylian.

"The top one says  ** _Earth_** and the lower one says  ** _Wind_**. Link can you conduct us both?" Medli asked, looking expectantly at the blonde haired boy.

"Uh, I can try I guess," Link replied uncertainly, producing the Wind Waker from his pouch. Makar and Medli stepped in front of Link while Tetra stood back a bit with Aryll who was now also holding a candle since her elder sibling needed two hands to conduct properly.

Medli began playing first, her lyre producing a slow, relaxing melody that reverberated around the entire room. The melody repeated twice before climbing up the scale, and Makar joined in, adding the sweet, yet powerful sound of his viola to the song. He now carried a slightly different, more exciting and fast-paced melody while Medli's harp echoed it in the background. Link was fully immersed in the song, working diligently to conduct both parts at the same time. As the song neared its climax the viola carried the main tune while the lyre harmonized with it. When the song came to its dramatic and abrupt end, the notes on the stone wall glowed a bright white and miniscule cracks that they'd failed to notice before lit up in that same white hot light to create strange looking symbols that looked neither Hylian nor like anything else they'd seen before.

The flickering candles Tetra and Aryll were holding were suddenly blown out, but the absence of candlelight went unnoticed because of the intense light the stone wall was emitting. In fact, the light became so intense that they were all forced to close their eyes and turn away. Aryll and Tetra closed their eyes and dropped their candles so they could use their hands to shield their faces from the overwhelming light.

Suddenly the light began to grow even more blinding than anyone thought possible and everyone grew dizzy. Darkness soon replaced the never ending light.

 


	3. Lost in the Lost Woods

"Tetra…wake up….wake up!" a voice insisted. "TETRA!"

The pirate captain's eyes snapped open quickly, and she sat up or, rather, tried to. Aryll, who'd been leaning over her had been a little too close, and the two girls had bumped heads.

"Oww!" Aryll complained rubbing her throbbing forehead.

"Ugh, Aryll. What's your deal?" Tetra moaned massaging her temples.

"I woke up and you were passed out next to me. I don't know where we are," Aryll explained, standing up and offering a helping hand to Tetra who ignored it and stood up on her own. She took in her surroundings. All around them were….trees and more trees. They didn't seem to end and if they did there seemed to be a wooden wall behind them. Beneath their feet were leaves, broken twigs, the occasional rock, and grass. The sky was barely visible through the canopy of leaves.

"Any sign of the others when you got up?" Tetra asked Aryll distractedly.

"Nope. Just you," Aryll confessed quietly shaking her head and causing her blonde pig tails to sway back and forth.

"Alright, listen up," Tetra began her leader instincts already kicking in. "There must be some way out of here. You look over there and I'll search here."

"Aye aye Tetra!" Aryll saluted.

"That's  _Miss_  Tetra to you swabbie. Now move it," Tetra corrected the younger girl. Aryll nodded and ran over to her assigned post, holding her telescope up to her eye the whole way.

Tetra rolled her eyes and began delving for a way out. After a couple minutes Aryll called Tetra over. "What'd you find kid?" Tetra wondered.

"Look Tetra! It's some kind of stone and it is singing! Listen," Aryll exclaimed pointing at a large stone with the symbol of the Triforce burned into its surface. Both girls crouched down next to the stone and listened. It was silent for a few seconds and then Tetra heard it, a whistling tune. Tetra was sure she'd heard it before but couldn't recall exactly where. Aryll began to hum the song, and the stone ceased producing sound. In her surprise at her unexpected solo Aryll stopped humming and after a second or two of silence the stone started the song from the beginning.

"Aryll keep humming it from start to finish," Tetra ordered.

"What'll that do?" Aryll wondered.

"It may just get us out of here. Think about it; we got here by Medli and Makar playing music, so maybe music will take us home," Tetra explained trying to be patient with the younger girl.

"But Medli and Makar are sages and I-" Aryll pointed out but was cut off by Tetra.

"Just do what you're told will you?!" Tetra shouted, her patience gone. Aryll jumped at the older girl's sudden increase in volume and tone and complied.

When she was finished all was silent for a while.  _'Great, it didn't work,'_  Tetra thought to herself moodily. That was when she felt a small tug at her belt and whirled around the come face to face with a… well she wasn't quite sure what it was. A wooden imp creature? Then she noticed that it was holding a small tan pouch. Tetra felt around her belt only to find that her wallet was missing.

She lunged at the creature, but it disappeared with a giggle in a swirl of leaves. A quick intake of air and then a sour note of a trumpet sounded. Tetra and Aryll turned to look. The creature was atop an old tree stump with an aged, crude looking trumpet in one hand and Tetra's wallet in the other, a look of gloating on its face, although it was a bit hard to tell with the shadows that its hat cast over it.

Out of seemingly nowhere wooden puppets on strings advanced on the pair. "Quick, what did Link tell you to do if we got ambushed?" Tetra asked turning to Aryll.

"He told me to get behind him and stay close and….he's not here right now so…" Aryll trailed off.

Tetra rolled her eyes and pushed Aryll behind her with one hand while she drew her dagger with the other. When the puppets were close enough Tetra freed them of their invisible puppet master, and they laid in useless heaps at her feet. Tetra picked up a rock and chucked it at the creature who was too far away and too high up to reach.

It hit the thing on the head and it stopped laughing. A smile quickly replaced the momentary frown on its face, and it jumped down from the stump and made its way towards a wooden wall which, to both girls' amazement disappeared. The creature now held a lantern and ran through the newly discovered passage.

Ugh! You stupid imp! Give me back my wallet!" Tetra yelled furiously before charging after the strange creature. Aryll followed silently. This new passage led to a different walled in enclosure, this time with a sparkling water source and another passage visible. Aryll put her telescope to her eye searching for the unusual thief among the trees.

"Where did it go?" Tetra muttered to herself stepping forward and looking every which way. A glint of yellow candlelight appeared in her peripheral vision and she turned to look. That thing had had a lantern…

"Aryll, follow me!" called Tetra running towards the other passage. Aryll took her telescope away from her eye and ran after the elder girl. At the passage they were cut off by more of those puppets.

"Not now!" Tetra exclaimed in exasperation, blindly, but expertly cutting them down. They were on the move again shortly and were led into another empty section with two passages this time.

"Which way Miss Tetra?" Aryll asked, looking up expectantly at the young captain.

Look for the lantern light. Then we'll know which way to go," Tetra explained keeping a close eye on both of their options while keeping a firm grip on her dagger in her right hand. They were surrounded by puppets once again, but Tetra got them both out of it unscathed. Aryll and Tetra both spotted the light at the same time and made haste through that passage where an upbeat song greeted their ears. It was being played by a trumpet.

"Where is it?" Tetra sighed searching for any sign of the creature.

"Hmm…follow the music?" Aryll suggested.

"In case you haven't noticed, Aryll, music hasn't exactly proved to be helpful to us today," Tetra replied, scanning the area for the musician.

"Well, I'm going to go look for it while you fight off any of those creepy puppets that get in our way," Aryll announced, putting her telescope to her eye. The song suddenly ended and that same high pitched giggle followed by a sour note tormented their ears. Puppets dropped down from nowhere, obviously summoned by that other creature. The trumpet then resumed its joyful song.

Tetra cut down the puppets fairly easily while Aryll ran around seeking the musician. She eventually found it behind a tree merrily playing on its golden instrument. Tetra wasted no time in running up to it and slicing him with her dagger. He disappeared in a swirl of leaves and opened a new passage before running away.

"Here we go again. Just give me back my wallet already! I don't want to play your stupid games!" Tetra shouted stamping her foot in aggravation and running after the strange creature. The process of tracking him down was the same as before and the pursuit turned into a pattern. After thirty minutes it became apparent that it was toying with them. Finally they were led to a brand new passage into an enclosure with many tree stumps surrounding a slightly bigger stump in the middle.

Tetra and Aryll used vines that conveniently happened to be available for their use to climb most of the way down from the ledge they were on. They were forced to jump down the last few feet since the vines appeared to have been cut off at a certain point. The pair advanced on the creature which was standing on the middle stump grinning like a mad man. It produced Tetra's wallet from its pocket and wiggled it tantalizingly in the air before stowing it away and blowing randomly into its trumpet.

Puppets dropped down surrounding the stump it was on like sentries and slowly made their way to the girls. Tetra cut through them, and then lunged at the creature. She made contact and hit it twice before being thrown off and having it teleport away. The battle ensued in this fashion, and after what felt like forever the strange creature seemed to be defeated. It giggled and threw the tan pouch at Tetra who caught it in one hand. After this it revealed a narrow grassy slope before disappearing.

"Is…that it?" asked Aryll skeptically glancing around and clutching her telescope to her chest. Tetra surveyed the contents of her wallet. All her rupees were there, thankfully, as was her pirate's charm. Maybe she could contact Link? It was worth a shot. She removed the blue stone from her wallet before fastening it back on her belt.

The stone didn't work. Both stones had to be a certain distance apart to successfully interact with each other. Where ever Link was, he wasn't close that was for sure. Oh well. They'd run into him eventually since they both had a funny habit of doing just that.

Tetra slipped the stone back into her wallet before following the eager Aryll to the new passage. It led to a grassy clearing with a crumbling stone structure to the left that must have been the ruins to some important place or other, but was useless now. A weathered stone arch with intimidating statues posing as guardians on either side was to the right. Since that seemed to be the only way to go the pair walked up to the arch.

It led to another grassy clearing this time with trees on all sides and in the middle a white pedestal with a sword in it. "No way," Tetra breathed in awe. She jogged up to the sword to confirm her suspicions. In the pedestal rested the Master Sword. "But…how?" Tetra mused quietly to herself.

"What is it?" Aryll wondered oblivious to the ancient and powerful weapon before them. Tetra ignored the younger girl and circled around the sword. Being a pirate she had a keen eye and could distinguish between the real thing and a cheap knock off. This was certainly the real deal. From the unique design of the hilt to the thin yet sturdy sparkling blade everything was tangible.

Yet that posed the question: How? As far as Tetra knew, the Master Sword was at the bottom of the ocean in Hyrule sticking out of Ganondorf's head in a permanent stone seal, so if the Master Sword was here was Ganon now free? She sincerely hoped not. It was terrifying enough the first time and she still had nightmares about it over a year later.

"This doesn't make sense…" Tetra pondered crossing her arms and peering closely at the sword, "There is no way that this can be real." She reached out and wrapped her hand around the hilt. It wasn't a mirage that was for sure. Tetra experimentally tugged on the sword. It didn't budge proving even further that it was legit.

"Are we lost?" Aryll asked bluntly from her seat on the ground.

"Hmm?" Tetra said looking down at the little girl a little ways away, "Aryll, we're not lost.

"Really? Because it's getting dark, and I don't want to be in this place at night. We should leave," Aryll replied, glancing around uneasily.

"We arrived at Windfall in the morning. How can it be getting dark already?" Tetra questioned. Aryll just shrugged and pointed to the sky. It was a pale blue with pink sneaking in and diminishing sunlight.

"Maybe we were asleep longer than we thought?" Aryll suggested.

"Whatever. I don't like it either. Let's get out of here, kid." Tetra admitted hopping off of the pedestal and running back the way they'd come. "That imp creature led us here. Maybe he'll lead us back," Tetra called over her shoulder. Aryll nodded even though she knew Tetra wouldn't see it. When they reached the arena there was no sign of the childish creature.

The vines that they'd used to climb down were too high for even Tetra to reach. After a while it became official. They were lost.


	4. The Green Sea

Link awoke to insistent tugging on his hair and a jingling sound.

"Link!" Makar's squeaky voice exclaimed in relief, "You're awake, finally!"

"How long was I out?" Link asked, sitting up and rubbing the last remnants of sleep out of his eyes.

"I'm not sure. Medli was the first one up. Then I got up a while after her. That was about ten minutes ago," Makar explained.

"Where is Medli?" Link wondered noticing the Rito's absence.

"She went to look around. I told her she shouldn't and that we should wait for you, but she ignored me and said she wasn't going far," Makar sighed in defeat.

"Why didn't you wake me earlier?!" Link exclaimed getting to his feet.

"I tried! You wouldn't wake up," Makar defended.

"As a matter of fact, where's my sister and Tetra?" Link pondered looking around as if the two were hiding and going to jump out at him any moment.

"No idea. We haven't seen them. When that bright light flashed everything went dark, and the next thing I know is I'm waking up here with you two," Makar answered gesturing to their surrounds with his stubby arms.

"Hey guys! You won't believe this!" Medli cried from the sky. She glided gently to the ground on her pristine white wings before putting them away and regaining her pale arms and hands.

"What'd you find?" Both boys wondered in unison.

"Green! It's all fields and mountain ranges! From up above it looks like a rolling green sea! I've never seen so much land in my life! This could be the New Hyrule you and Tetra are looking for!" Medli exclaimed ecstatically, speaking so fast it took a few moments for the boys to process what she was telling them.

"Is it inhabited at all?" Link questioned.

"I don't know. I didn't go very far," Medli admitted, shrugging her shoulders.

"You didn't see Aryll or Tetra?" Link checked.

"No, I'm worried about them too, but I'm sure they're fine," Medli said smiling slightly.

"Maybe we should walk as far as we can until nightfall. We won't get anywhere staying in one place. We may find a clue as to where Tetra and Aryll are and maybe even bump into someone that can us where  _we_  are," Makar suggested. The group agreed, and they started in a random direction. Link carried Makar since his short legs made walking long distances a challenge while Medli walked alongside Link gazing in wonder at their surroundings. Link was amazed too. In all his many travels he'd never seen anything like this. Land as far as the eye can see were only things of legend. Times that were so far into the past that they weren't even conceived by the denizens of the Great Sea.

After what must have been an hour or so, it began to grow dark. Now endless green was getting as annoying as endless blue. In Link's opinion anyway. Medli and Makar seemed to be relatively enjoying themselves. They decided to stop for the day although they all thought that it was strange that night had cast its shadow over the world so quickly. Medli and Link sat down cross legged on the grass and Makar jumped out of Link's lap and began to play his viola.

It was decided that Link would take first watch, Medli second, and Makar would take third. They hadn't run into any enemies so far but you couldn't be too careful. The night passed uneventfully for which they were all somewhat relieved. They continued their trek. Makar flew up a bit and claimed to see a castle up ahead.

"A castle?" Medli repeated.

"Yes," Makar confirmed dropping back down and in Link's awaiting arms. They all quickened their pace to find that Makar had been correct. There was indeed a castle guarded by sturdy stone walls. There were steps leading up to large wooden double doors. It seemed to be a garden of some kind. A girl with blonde pig tails on either side of her head had her back to them and was rifling through some flowers. The girl wore a blue dress that was overly and childishly decorated. What was assumed to be fake butterfly wings adorned her back. Overall her outfit was anything but ordinary, but Link had seen weirder. She was the first person they'd seen in this unfamiliar place so of course they ran up to her for some clarity despite her….unique appearance.

"Uh…excuse me?" Link began tapping the girl lightly on the shoulder. She whirled around to face him with a smile on her face.

"Yes?" she asked sweetly.

"Well, my companions and I were wondering…" Link tried but got cut off abruptly by the younger girl.

"Oh! What are your companions? I've never seen anything like them, and a lot of strange looking people come through here!" The girl cried clapping her hands together in excitement.

"This is Medli. She's a Rito," Link explained gesturing to Medli with one hand, and then nodded to the Korok in his arms, "and this is Makar. He's a Korok. Now-"

Really? I've never heard of those species before! Where are you from? Oh yes! I almost forgot to introduce myself," the elated girl rambled, "My name is Agitha and I'm a bug princess. I've lived in Castle Town all my life."

"A-wait. Did you say Castle Town?" Link asked.

"Sure did…uh…"

"Link," he supplied.

"Link! Of course, but…why does that name sound familiar?" Agitha mused.

"Is that Castle Town?" Medli interrupted, pointing to the double doors. Agitha turned to look and nodded in confirmation.

"Oh yes! I know that name from somewhere else, well, someone else. He brings me bugs for my ball. Bugs are hard to catch you know. I don't know how he does it!" Agitha exclaimed in wonder. By the way this strange girl was acting Link didn't blame the bugs for avoiding her. A bug ball? What was that about anyway? Even more interesting was her claiming to know another Link.

"Wait, Agitha, who is this other Link you're talking about?" Link questioned, hoping that they could stay on topic this time.

"He wears green clothes just like you, but he has blue eyes instead of green, and his hair is a bit darker than yours, but otherwise I'd say that you two were spitting images of each other. Except for maybe height, and age. He is older. Seventeen maybe? I'm not sure, I never asked," Agitha explained.

"Okay. Thanks," Link said, politely starting to walk away.

"Wait!" Agitha called. The trio turned back around.

"Are you  _all_  going into Castle Town?" Agitha wondered. Link nodded slowly.

"Well, see the people of Castle Town…they may not accept your friends, Link. It's true that a lot of strange people pass through here, but as I said before I've never seen any species like them. The guards are still a bit on edge, and they might perceive them as enemies. Maybe they should out here. I could show you around Castle Town so you don't get lost in the crowds of people.

Link looked helplessly at his friends at a loss for what to do. Medli spoke up first, "Excuse us for a minute." She then pulled Link and Makar aside and spoke in a hushed voice, "What do you think?"

"Well, she doesn't seem bad, just a bit…eccentric. Do you really think there's some boy out there with the same name as me?"

"Not likely. She's obviously living in a fantasy. She probably just made it up to get a reaction out of you. I wouldn't worry about it, but considering that she doesn't know what a Rito is, is saying something. I mean, our tribe delivers mail for a living; they must have a different postal service here. I think it might be a good idea to go into town with her. Find out as much as you can, and we'll wait for you here," Medli said, taking Makar from Link.

"Will you be okay out here by yourselves?" Link wondered, hesitant to leave his friends.

"We'll be fine. There doesn't seem to be anything threatening around here, and if there was I doubt that Agitha would be out here alone," Medli pointed out.

"Yeah!" Makar agreed, "You go find out where we are, and you could even ask around about the others." So it was decided. Link would take up Agitha's offer while Medli and Makar stayed in the garden out of sight of other people.

"Lil Grasshopper come on!" called Agitha who was hopping impatiently from foot to foot, the basket over her arm swaying violently. Link sighed but followed his new acquaintance through the enormous wooden doors.


	5. The Lost Saviors

Everything was eerily silent in the Lost Woods, save for the high pitched chirps of crickets gradually coming out of hiding as the sun departed. A light breeze ruffled the leaves of the many trees, and the setting sun cast large, deformed shadows.

"Tetra, what if I stand on your shoulders?" Aryll suggested. After realizing that they were more or less trapped they began to devise plans to get out. Unfortunately none of their plans had succeeded so far.

"Good idea, kid. Let's try it," Tetra said lowering herself to the ground, so it would be easier for Aryll to get on. Aryll scrambled unstably onto Tetra's shoulders, and Tetra slowly stood up while holding the younger girl's ankles, so she wouldn't fall. Then Aryll carefully stood up to her full height, balancing precariously on the pirate's shoulders.

She reached up as much as her tiny arms would allow but still came up short. The child then attempted to reach the twisted vine standing on tip toe. This minor change came unexpectedly to Tetra, and she stumbled a bit causing Aryll to flail her arms wildly in an attempt to regain her balance, but only managed to doom them further. Both girls tumbled to the ground with a scream and a loud thud.

"Oh…ouch. That didn't work at all," moaned Aryll.

"Ya think?" Tetra shot back sarcasm dripping from her words. She pushed the younger girl off of her roughly, ignoring Aryll's cry of protest. A stick had scraped the back of Tetra's leg when she had fallen resulting in a small paper cut like gash. It wasn't bleeding, but it still hurt. Aryll was lucky that she wasn't her brother. If it had been Link that had caused her to fall and injure herself she would have felt obligated to return the favor. Aryll got to her feet and dusted herself off. Tetra did likewise a minute later.

"I don't have any more ideas. What now?" Aryll wondered, pouting in defeat. Tetra was about to answer with a smart remark when a strange noise was heard. It didn't sound like that felonious creature from before. Peering curiously over the edge of their goal were…

"Monkeys?" Tetra whispered, a look of confusion on her face.

"What are monkeys? Aryll asked, her voice hushed, unsure whether to be elated or frightened, "Are they friendly?"

"Monkeys are those animals you see right there," Tetra explained gesturing to the unfamiliar wild life on the unreachable ledge, "As for if they're friendly or not, I don't know. I've never seen a real one before."

"If you haven't seen one before, how do you know what they are?" Aryll pondered.

"I read about them in a book years ago. According to the book, all the monkeys were lost when Hyrule was flooded," Tetra said, giving the animals a skeptical look.

"Well apparently they weren't  _all_  lost 'cause they're right in front of us," Aryll pointed out. The monkeys jumped down from the ledge and stared at the children for a moment before turning and ambling under the vines that the duo had been trying to reach in vain.

A monkey with a flower in its hair motioned Tetra and Aryll over. Both girls exchanged looks of uncertainty and then focused their gaze back on the animal. It motioned again a bit more insistent this time. Still neither girl budged. The same monkey came over and gently took Aryll's free hand. Then she, if the flower was any indication of gender, gingerly tugged on Aryll's hand to get her to move.

She hesitated for a second before following and was led to the rest of the peculiar animals. Then the other monkeys climbed on top of each other to form a makeshift ladder. The girl monkey scurried up the "ladder", grabbed onto the vines, and jumped to the ledge. She spun around and gestured for Aryll to follow.

Aryll's mouth formed into a small o as she pieced it together. "They're helping us Tetra!" exclaimed Aryll in realization. She then followed the monkey's example and carefully scaled the monkey made ladder. When she got to the vine and struggled a little the girl monkey came to her aid and helped her over to the ledge. Once she was safe and sound on the piece of land that had been their goal for at least fifteen minutes she called down to Tetra to hurry up.

If the monkeys were helping them then they had to have some sort of intelligence to an extent. For now, Tetra decided to trust the animals and quickly climbed up to the ledge. The other monkeys worked together to get themselves back up and then ran ahead.

"Should we follow or…" Tetra trailed off as Aryll darted after the monkeys. "I guess that means we're following," Tetra sighed before running to catch up to her tiny companion and their furry saviors. They were led to the place where they'd first awoken and beyond to a dead end with a chasm stretching out in front of them.

The monkeys obviously had a solution to this predicament too for they made a bridge out of themselves to allow the girls to cross to a small ledge. They repeated this process a few more times until they were all safely on solid ground that continued for more than just a few feet.

"Thank you monkeys!" Aryll called after the animals as they waved goodbye before disappearing into a different section of the woods. When they were gone Aryll turned to Tetra adopting her former pirate stance, "What now Miss Tetra?"

"Now, we find a place to sleep for the night," Tetra replied starting in the opposite direction that the monkeys had gone.

"Aren't we going to find Big Brother?" Aryll wondered, worry hinting in her voice.

"Eventually," Tetra said passively.

They ended up staying near where the monkeys had left them. Being in a forest like climate was fortunate since there were many dry leaves and twigs so getting a respective sized fire going wasn't too difficult. They were both famished, but there wasn't any food around, and it was too dark to go searching for some.

The only option left was to sleep. Much to Tetra's chagrin Aryll laid her head down on Tetra's lap. Tetra wasn't notoriously one for cuddling, but she couldn't blame the kid. She was only nine after all. She wasn't cut out for an adventure like today which was why Tetra had been reluctant to bring her in the first place. It seemed that the simplest things turned into some grand complicated adventure with her and Link. She didn't want Link's little sister to be dragged into any more of it. Yet, here they were.

She couldn't let harm come to the Hero of Wind's innocent little sister. That's why Tetra felt obliged to stay up all night to keep watch even though she herself was exhausted. She was a pirate after all, a princess, the holder of the Triforce of Wisdom. She could do this.


	6. Discoveries in Castle Town

"Stay close Lil Grasshopper. Castle Town is a very busy place, and it's easy to get lost if you don't know your way around," Agitha lectured Link as they stepped through the oversized wooden doors. Link was astonished at how many people there were. He'd never seen so many people in one place at once. Even Windfall wasn't as crowded as this, and it was supposed to be a merchant island! This place put Windfall to shame.

"My name's Link," he reminded his guide, hinting that he was not content with the name she had given him.

"I know, but your clothes are green like a grasshopper, and I like giving people nicknames," Agitha giggled grabbing Link's hand and dragging him deeper into the sea of people. They passed many different stalls that sold a variety of items like flowers, bread, meat, fruit, and many more odds and ends. Link would have liked to browse a little, but Agitha didn't allow him any time to dally. He was on a mission anyway. He had to focus and not think about the food that was silently mocking him. So close yet so far. Link sighed inwardly.

Focusing proved to be a hard thing to do in Castle Town as Link soon found out. People were constantly rushing by, their destination unclear, shouting words that were lost as soon as they left the mouth of their owner. All the bustle was starting to give Link a headache. Agitha seemed unaffected by it, but he supposed that was to be expected if she lived here. He, however, much rather preferred his quiet little island or even Tetra's pirate ship over this chaos.

A line of what Link assumed were the guards that his guide mentioned earlier marched past them. They wore silver armor and…was that the Hylian crest? Agitha continued to pull him past, so he could only catch a glimpse. Had it really been the Hylian crest, or did he just imagine it? If it was real, then what did it mean?

They had apparently reached their destination for Agitha opened the door to a building like she owned the place, which she probably did, and tugged Link inside. She slammed it shut behind him, but Link wasn't paying attention. He was more fascinated by the giant tree fixated in the middle of the room and all of the bugs creeping, crawling, and flying around. Link was amazed that this girl could live with all these bugs in her house.

"Welcome to Princess Agitha's Castle!" Agitha chirped, setting down the basket she had hanging from her arm.

"So…you live here?" Link asked.

"Oh yes!" she replied enthusiastically, "but that doesn't matter right now. I just had to drop off my basket. Now I can show you around town. Let's go!" Agitha then pulled Link out of her "castle" and led him through town stopping occasionally to point out places she dubbed important.

"…and that's Telma's Bar down those steps. I've never been in there myself, they don't allow kids, but I've heard that the owner, Telma, is really nice and helpful," Agitha explained about a half hour later.

"Is that it?" Link wondered, trying not to sound rude.

"One more place Lil Grasshopper! Follow me!" Agitha exclaimed before turning on her heel and heading for the central square which must have been the busiest place in Castle Town. Link sighed inwardly for the second time that day. He really wished this tour would come to an end. This place was making him feel claustrophobic and a migraine was developing in his temples. He definitely wasn't used to this much life and energy in one place.

Agitha guided him to the fountain in the middle of the square and turned to face the castle. She pointed to it and cried, "And now the main feature! That is the whole reason for Castle Town's existence. Hyrule Castle!" Link's ears perked up. Did she just say  _Hyrule Castle_?

"Excuse me, what did you just say?" Link asked, questioning his hearing abilities at the moment.

"I said Hyrule Castle. Why?" Agitha repeated. Hyrule! She said Hyrule! But Hyrule Castle is underwater. It's flooded. The King had flooded it himself and drowned along with it. Yet as he inspected it he noticed the similarities. Did they travel back in time? Back to when there was still a Hyrule? Before it was flooded? If that was the case then could he actually meet the Hero of Time, his ancestor?! So many questions and no one to answer them. That's when he noticed that Agitha had been frantically calling his name. He must have spaced out.

"Sorry," he apologized, "I was just thinking about something."

"Oh…okay then," Agitha smiled.

"Did you happen to notice any girls? Such as a nine year old that has eyes and skin like mine with blonde hair in pig tails wearing a blue dress with a flower on it? Or maybe a girl with tan skin, dark blue eyes, and blonde hair wearing a pale purple top, a blue vest, white shorts, and a red bandana tied around her neck?" Link questioned, trying to be as specific as possible.

"Hmmm…no. Sorry," Agitha said after mulling it over for a few seconds.

"Alright. Thanks for showing me around anyway. Would you happen to know a trick to finding people who are missing around here? Or someone that could help me with that perhaps?" Link asked, slightly disappointed by the younger girl's answer.

"Well, Hyrule's a big place. Who are you looking for?" Agitha wondered.

"My little sister and my friend. We got separated," Link replied.

"Are they both Hylian?"

"Yes."

"Then they could be anywhere, but usually finding specific people and tracking them down is tricky. If you want my advice, I'd look and ask around in the last place you saw them, but if that doesn't work the Princess of Hyrule is very wise. She may help you but getting an audience with her is difficult, and I think you need to be at least eighteen to arrange one. Otherwise, you need an adult. If you ever need a place to stay, stop by Agitha's Castle. It'll always be open to you and your friends Lil Grasshopper!" Agitha left then, those her last words. Link made his way back to his companions who were waiting on the steps just outside of town like they'd promised.

Upon seeing Link they both brightened and got to their feet. "So? What'd you find out?" Medli wondered, eager to know every detail.

"We're in Hyrule," Link stated, still in shock at his most recent discovery.

"H-Hyrule?" stammered Medli in disbelief, "Are you sure?"

"Yes, Agitha plainly said that that was Hyrule Castle!" Link exclaimed gesturing at the castle visible over the stone walls of the town, "That song must have sent us back in time!"

"Whoa there. You're really basing this off of what that crazy little girl said?" Medli wondered, her previous bewilderment fading and turning into skepticism.

"Of course not Medli! I saw the guards. They had the Hylian crest on their armor, and I even saw the castle up close. It looks really similar to the one that I know," Link explained.

"So you really think we were sent back in time by that song? How can a song do that?" Makar wondered as Medli processed this new information.

"It must be because we're sages," Medli concluded, "If someone else were to play that song it probably wouldn't do anything, but if people with some sort of blessed power, like us, played it then anything could happen."

"That also makes me wonder," Link spoke up, "I was conducting you both and you guys were playing your instruments. Tetra and Aryll were just standing back holding candles. Did the song only teleport us, or did it teleport everyone in the room?"

"So you're saying that Tetra and your sister could still be in that cave wondering where we went," Makar said, thinking aloud.

"Exactly, but what if they  _did_  teleport with us? You saw that light. It couldn't have enveloped just us." Link continued.

"Let's just say that everyone was teleported. We were all standing close to each other, so we got warped to the same place. I think that if Tetra and Aryll got teleported as well that they ended up in the same area, so they aren't alone," Medli speculated.

"Yeah, but where did they get warped to? They weren't standing too far away from us," Link pointed out, glancing between his two friends for an answer.

"I think we need a map. If this really is Hyrule then we don't know our surroundings at all," Medli suggested.

"Okay. I think I remember seeing a stand selling maps in town," Link recalled, "I'll go buy one and then come back here so we can look at it together." After his friends nodded in understanding, he headed back into the town he now dreaded almost as much as any dungeon.

With a bit of difficulty Link located the map merchant and purchased a map for more rupees than he would have liked to spend, but it was worth it if it would help them find the others. Then he made his way out of the overly populated town and back to familiar faces.

They spread the map down on the ground and held it in place with rocks on the corners, so the wind couldn't snatch it up in its invisible hands and whisk it away to some unknown place. The three companions then leaned over the parchment and studied it intently. It was written in Hylian that wasn't exactly ancient, but it definitely wasn't what they were used to either.

"I can't read it," Link stated blatantly after a minute of staring blankly at it as if he stared long enough it would morph into a language he could understand.

"Me either," the Korok squeaked sadly.

"I can, but only a bit," Medli announced after a while of peering at it.

"Really? Read us what you can decipher," Link requested.

"Okay well, it looks like there are different provinces that make up Hyrule," Medli explained taking a deep breath before continuing. She pointed to the area near the bottom of the map, "I think this province is called Or-Orda-no wait. Ordon. I'm pretty sure," she moved to the picture of Hyrule Castle in the middle of the map, "We're here in Lanayru," She continued, sliding her finger over to the right, "Then this one says El…din. Eldin. I can only decipher bits and pieces of the rest though."

"The Great Deku Tree sometimes tells us about Hyrule and how there used to be a forest. Do you see any type of forest?" Makar asked. Medli scanned the map but came up empty handed.

"No, I don't see anything. Nothing that outright states that it's a forest anyway. I'm sorry I can't decipher more," Medli apologized looking upset and bowing her head slightly.

"That's okay, Medli. You've been a big help already. You figured out more than I could have," Link reassured the Rito girl placing a comforting hand on her shoulder, "Let's put it side to side with my sea chart and compare the two." Link reached into his pack and rummaged around for a minute before pulling out his sea chart with a flourish and laying it flat next to the map, keeping a hand on it so it wouldn't be blown away.

"The Tower of Gods is in the relatively same place as Hyrule Castle which makes sense seeing as that's the first place that I descended into Hyrule. Windfall is to the northwest so I guess it makes sense that we got dropped somewhere around there in Hyrule, but if Tetra and Aryll were warped as well where would they go?" Link pondered biting his lip and thinking hard.

"Hmm…maybe since they weren't playing anything it put them somewhere random," Medli suggested.

"How does that help us? If it just randomly teleported them-" Link ranted, becoming frustrated.

"Maybe it wasn't completely random," Makar cut in, "What if it took them in the opposite direction. So if we went northwest, it took them southeast."

"That could be possible," Medli admitted after absorbing the information, "and if it's true then it means that they are somewhere in the Ordon Province!"


	7. Wise Words

When the first rays of the golden sun hesitantly peeked over the tree tops a certain pirate captain shook awake her dozing companion. The crackling fire that they'd had going the previous night had long since died out. True to her silent word Tetra had stayed up all night. It actually hadn't been too hard. She'd stayed up three days straight before a few years ago. She didn't remember the exact reason, but she knew it had been important. Of course, after that she had slept a whole day and a half away, but that wasn't the point.

All night she'd been mulling over the fact of finding the sacred blade, the Master Sword in that clearing. She couldn't come up with a logical answer. Tetra would like to know where on Din's red earth they were! A giant island made up solely of forest perhaps?

"Tetra, I'm hungry," Aryll whined.

"Me too, but we don't have anything to eat at the moment," Tetra replied, "Come on let's keep moving. Hopefully we'll find something."

"Like the treasure!" Aryll exclaimed in excitement, skipping ahead.

Tetra smirked, "Sure, kid…like the treasure." Although Tetra would have just settled for something familiar right now, or maybe even food. With all this vegetation they had to find  _something_  edible. After all, those monkeys didn't look like they were starving, so they had to have some type of food source in this forest. She sighed and followed Aryll, calling for her to slow down.

When Tetra caught up with Aryll she ordered the little girl to stay put while she climbed a tree to come to terms with their surroundings. This place was strange. The air had a completely different feel to it. One that she wasn't used to. Aryll lent Tetra her much valued telescope so she could have a better view.

"Be careful!" Aryll called up to Tetra who was climbing higher and higher up a huge tree, Aryll's prized possession in one hand.

"Please, Aryll. I'm a pirate. I swing across ropes and scale things all the time. This is nothing!" Tetra shouted down as she reached for another branch.

"Still! Just don't fall!" Aryll advised clearly anxious even with the elder girl's assurance.

Tetra rolled her eyes and hid a smile. The kid was cute. What could she say? As she ascended higher and higher the young captain refrained from looking down. Don't get the wrong idea. She wasn't scared of heights. If she was, it'd be pathetic. Looking down would only break her concentration.

After what she estimated to be five minutes she reached the peak. The view was breathtaking but what greeted her eyes, or rather what didn't, made her heart skip a beat. Water; there was none. Land; stretching out in front of her like some foreign ocean. Where was the blue? The sparkling surf and waves? Why did she only see land? At first she was disappointed but then perked up in realization and nearly dislodged herself from her perch in her ecstasy.

"Could this be the New Hyrule they'd been searching for? But wait….no. That couldn't be right. Why would the Master Sword be here or anywhere besides Ganon's head for that matter? Her previous hopes and dreams washed away, taken captive by the tide of reality and her usual disapproving frown reappeared on her face.

_'Well that was a waste,'_  Tetra thought,  _'All that and I still don't know where we are.'_  Before descending the tree Tetra tried to use her pirate's charm once again in an attempt to contact her hero. No such luck. The stone remained dull and lifeless in her hand. That's fine. She hadn't expected it to work anyway.

Tetra began to climb down. When she was about halfway to the stable ground, the branch that had been supporting most of her weight snapped unexpectedly. Tetra gasped and desperately tried to cling to the branch she had her right arm around since she was using her left to hold Aryll's precious red telescope.

"Are you okay, Tetra? I heard something snap," Aryll's small cry came from below as she scanned the dense foliage for her pirate companion.

"I'm," Tetra readjusted her grip, "fine. The branch I was standing on snapped is all. Nothing to worry about." Yet a few seconds later the situation proved to be very concerning. Tetra couldn't get a firm grip on the thick branch and there wasn't any available foot holds unless she dropped a few feet and took the risk of breaking something. Her arm made the decision for her and slipped, which was more painful than it should have been, and she couldn't help but give a small shriek as she fell. Tetra fumbled for a hand hold which was kind of hard when you're falling out of a tree getting scraped up and having the wind knocked out of you by branches that are flying by.

Somehow she managed to switch the telescope to her right hand and grab onto an incoming branch with her left thus stopping her fall but also nearly popping her poor arm out of its socket. Tetra, not realizing she'd closed her eyes, opened them and found that she still had a little ways to climb down.

So, ignoring the soreness in her left arm, she climbed down the rest of the tree and was relieved to touch solid ground. Immediately, Aryll ran over to Tetra concern distorting her features.

"I'm okay," Tetra reassured, wincing as she moved her left arm experimentally. She returned the telescope to Aryll who accepted it gladly.

"So? What'd you see?" Aryll asked, looking about ready to burst in anticipation.

"Surprisingly, land," Tetra answered.

"No water?" Aryll wondered, her eyes wide in shock.

"Nope."

"Then where did the sea go?"

"I don't know Aryll. Come on." The duo continued walking for a good half hour or so before Tetra heard a voice.

"O youth…come to my spring," a whisper called her. Tetra stopped and blinked. Had she imagined the voice? Noticing that her partner had stopped, Aryll came to a sudden halt also and spun around, looking up at Tetra in confusion as to why they were stopping.

"Aryll, did you hear something?" Tetra questioned her younger companion. Maybe the lack of sleep was getting to her.

"Yes, I heard a whisper, or at least I think I did. I'm not sure what it said though," Aryll confirmed.

"It wants us to 'come to its spring'," Tetra informed the younger girl.

"I think I hear water up ahead. Let's go!" Aryll exclaimed, taking off.

"Aryll! Wait up!" Tetra yelled bolting after her.

When she found Aryll she was standing in clear, shallow water. Tetra splashed into the spring and grabbed Aryll roughly by the arm.

"Don't run off like that!" Tetra chastised.

"Sorry, Tetra," Aryll apologized not sounding the least bit sorry. Their bickering diminished into silence when the clear water glowed a bright gold starting from the middle and extending outward, transforming everything in its wake into a more beautiful sight than before. A monkey type creature hugging a ball of pure light formed in front of them. The monkey had a long intricate tail that curled protectively around its whole body, causing the figure to look like a swirl of light.

"Pretty," sighed Aryll in awe, intrigued by the monkey made of light before her.

"You have a familiar air about you. Yet it is very unfamiliar at the same time. What are your names?" the being of light spoke gently.

Aryll was about to respond, but Tetra beat her to it, "We're not telling you anything until we know who, or what, you are." Tetra narrowed her eyes menacingly.

"Bold words escape your tongue child. I can feel that you are not native to these lands. My name is Faron. I am the light spirit that watches over these woods. Now I request for the second time, your names."

"The name's Tetra and that's Aryll," Tetra introduced, indicating her companion with a small wave of her hand, "Why did you call us here?"

"You are in  _my_  woods are you not? Dark times have passed in this land and peace is upon us. It is the duty of all the light spirits that the latter continues to ring true." Faron explained.

"Well, Faron, Aryll and I would love to get out of here, but we have a…..predicament. You see we were teleported here by mistake along with three others, but they weren't warped to the same area as us. We all need to get back together and go home," Tetra replied, stepping forward, her arms crossed.

"Teleported here?" Faron asked sounding alarmed, "How?"

"A song. Our friends played a song and we were suddenly waking up in your woods getting mocked by a strange imp creature with a trumpet and being helped by animals I thought were lost long ago!" Tetra exclaimed using hand gestures to emphasize her words.

"Ah. That 'strange imp creature' you're referring to is Skull Kid. Do not fret. He's harmless and a bit lonely. He plays with whomever enters the Lost Woods. Tell me, what was the song your friends played?"

"I don't know. They don't know either. We found it on a strange wall hidden underground," Tetra shrugged.

"Hmm….getting you home will be more complicated then. If you knew what song had been played, then all your friends would have to do is play the song backwards for you all to get home. Seeing as that's not the case it is beyond my magic expertise. However," Faron continued at Tetra's annoyed expression, "The goddess left me with a riddle long ago saying it would one day help herself return to where she belonged. I did not know what it meant and she had told me that she had no idea either. That it had just been whispered in her ear one night by her eldest and wisest sister. I've protected those words until the time would come one day to use them. I believe now is that time. Listen closely to Her Grace's instructions:

_'Search for your counterparts; one of courage; one of wisdom,_

_And reach deep into the light._

_Reawaken the servant who dreams,_

_Then enter the castle within,_

_And bless an ancient life with light._

_A path shall be opened._

_Only then may you have the means of returning home.'_

Good luck to thee O youth," Faron bid farewell before disappearing.

"Hey wait a minute! That didn't even make any sense!" an enraged Tetra shouted throwing her hands up in the air. The spirit, however, was already gone. "Counterparts? What's that supposed to mean? What light? What servant? What castle? Who's life? Ugh!" Tetra fumed.

"Tetra, calm down. Maybe we can figure it out if we take it line by line," Aryll interrupted trying to think rationally, "Let's take the first line;  _Search for your counterparts; one of courage; one of wisdom."_

"Your counterparts…one of courage….one of wisdom…" Tetra mused plopping down on a nearby boulder.

"What does counterpart mean?" Aryll asked sitting on a smaller boulder near Tetra.

"It's sort of like a separate version of yourself. To put it simply. There are two of you running around. Different but the same," Tetra explained.

"Do other versions of people even exist?" Aryll wondered.

"I don't know. I guess it's possible but not at the same time," Tetra yawned stretching, "Let's keep moving for now. We need to find Link and the others before we can go home anyway."

The girls continued through the forest and came to a wooden suspension bridge stretching across a dangerous looking chasm. Both girls strode across without incident, and Tetra pulled herself and Aryll behind some bushes.

"Ow-" Aryll protested, but Tetra slapped her hand over the younger girl's mouth, cutting her cry short.

"Shhh!" Tetra hissed, "Do you want to get caught?"

Aryll shook her head and Tetra removed her hand. "I didn't see anyone," Aryll whispered back.

"It was a little boy," Tetra said quietly, "Come one let's climb up that tree so we can watch."

Aryll agreed silently and they scaled the tree, Aryll being assisted by the older, stronger girl when necessary. Finally they had a nice perch and were perfectly secluded by all of the leafy foliage. They could see inside the gates of a similar looking spring to Faron's that had been the destination of the little boy that Tetra had seen. There he stood with an older boy.

The girls couldn't see many details since they were so high up. "Aryll, give me your telescope," Tetra demanded. Aryll pressed the metal telescope into Tetra's awaiting hand, and she put it up to her eye and focused it on the two figures in the spring. The one that Tetra had spotted earlier looked to be about Aryll's age with blonde hair and strange looking clothes. Not to mention his ears were rounded. She focused on the other boy and gasped, nearly dropping the telescope.

The boy looked like an older version of Link, green tunic and all. Granted, his hair was a few shades darker, and he had piercing blue eyes instead of mischievous green ones but still. The resemblance was uncanny. "The other boy down there looks like an older version of your big brother, Aryll" Tetra said, not taking her gaze away from the sight.

"Really? Let me see!" Aryll exclaimed, interested now.

"No. I'm still looking," Tetra refused.

Aryll didn't back down, "Come on; give it! It's mine anyway!"

"Shut up. You're too loud!" Tetra whisper-shouted, "They'll hear you!"

"Na uh! They're too far away!" Aryll argued.

"If you yell they'll hear you, stupid! They're not deaf!" Tetra retorted. Aryll lunged for her telescope catching Tetra off guard. She successfully snatched her telescope out of the hands of the determined captain but caused Tetra to lose her balance in the process.

Thanks to being a pirate she had swift reflexes and grabbed onto another branch a little ways down, a bit noisily, but that couldn't be helped. Aryll had held in her own scream of horror by covering her mouth with her hand when Tetra fell.

"Are you okay?" Aryll asked, sounding guilty as if she was being caught doing something she wasn't supposed to, "I didn't mean to make you fall."

Tetra winked and smirked at Aryll silently sending the message that she was alright. Aryll put the telescope to her eye to look at the boys but quickly lowered it and turned to Tetra panicked.

"They're heading this way! Hurry get out of site!" Aryll warned in as quiet a voice that she could manage in her panic induced rush to get the words out. Tetra wasted no time. She reached up with her other hand and heaved herself onto the branch. Then she stood up, a bit shakily, and hopped to a neighboring branch that was better obscured by leaves. Not a moment too soon.

The boys had just reached the foot of the tree and were scanning its branches for the disturbance. Aryll and Tetra were as still as statues not daring to make a sound for fear of being discovered. After what felt like an eternity the boys dismissed it as a squirrel or bird and headed back to what Tetra assumed to be their village.

Both girls let out breathes that they hadn't even been aware that they had been holding in relief. That boy look too much like Link for it to be a coincidence. Tetra gasped in realization.  _Search for your counterparts; one of courage; one of wisdom_. She had had her suspicions, but now she was almost positive that this was its true meaning. In this unfamiliar place there must be another Link and Zelda. Tetra's lips slowly curved into a smile as she allowed her blue-eyed gaze to drift in the direction that the boys had disappeared in. It looked like they had found the other Link.


	8. The Issue of Transportation

Now the threesome had a general idea of where they thought their friends were. The only problem: How would they get there? Walking would take days and Medli couldn't fly very far for extended amounts of time. Even if they decided to take up the challenge they had no survival supplies and somehow Link felt that buying them would render him bankrupt.

"What did they use in Hyrule for transportation?" Link pondered, putting the map and sea chart away and pacing. Medli and Makar shrugged, just as lost.

"Hey, maybe we could ask that Agitha girl!" Makar exclaimed, "Do you know where she lives Link?"

"Regrettably…..yes," Link admitted after a few seconds of silence.

"Sorry to be a bother, Link, but could you please go there and then come back here with her answer?" Medli asked sweetly, knitting her hands together in a begging fashion.

"Stop trying to sugar-coat it Medli. I'm the only one that can go in there anyway. Unfortunately. I'll be as quick as I can," Link sighed before waving to his companions and reluctantly making his way back into town.

"We'll pray for you!" Makar joked at Link's retreating back. Medli and Makar burst into laughter while Link just shook his head while thinking that they wouldn't be laughing if they had to go into town. He retraced his steps back to Agitha's house, thankful for once for the vast complicated temples and dungeons he faced on previous journeys for he had developed a surprisingly good sense of direction because of them.

Link took a deep breath in preparation for the energetic girl before knocking. Agitha flung open the door and giggled in excitement upon seeing him.

"Come in please, Lil Grasshopper!" giggled Agitha stepping aside to let him in. Link stepped into the house and Agitha shut the door behind him closing off any means of escape for him and the bugs.

"Uh…Agitha, I have a question," Link began.

"Okay," Agitha nodded to show she was listening.

"What do you use for transportation around here?" Link asked cutting to the chase.

"Usually people walk or use horses or horse drawn carriages," Agitha answered. Link had no idea what those last two things were.

"W-what are horses?" Link wondered, sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck. Agitha doubled over in laughter. When she calmed down a little she looked back to her guest to find a timid but serious look on his face.

"Oh….you're not kidding?" chuckled Agitha trying to regain her posture. Link shook his head. "Where have you been living Lil Grasshopper? On an island in the middle of nowhere?" teased Agitha unable to contain her grin.

_"If only she knew,"_  Link thought.

"Well…" Agitha started to explain scrunching up her face in concentration, "horses are animals. They're-oh! You  _do_  what animals are, right?" Link nodded and she continued, "They're big and strong and walk on four legs. They come in all different colors and people train them to ride them. If you need to get somewhere fast horses are your best bet, but if you don't know how to ride one you should find someone who can and have them take you. Of course, you could also rent out a horse drawn carriage, but you have to know certain people or have about ten thousand rupees lying around to do that."

"Do you know anyone with a carriage or horse that would be willing to help me?" Link questioned the words horse and carriage foreign on his tongue.

"Mm… Agitha hummed rocking back and forth on the balls of her feet, "I've never been anywhere besides Castle Town my whole life so I wouldn't have any need to know much about travel but," Agitha quickly continued seeing the crestfallen look that passed like a shadow over her new friend's familiar face, "I do know that Grasshopper, that's the other Link I told you about earlier, has a horse and he enjoys helping other people solve their problems. He helped me gather all my guests for my ball," Agitha gestured around the entire house pointing out bugs, "and he managed to find a partner for almost every one, so they're not lonely! I'm sure that he will help you too!"

Link looked discouraged. What was he going to do? They needed answers, not an eleven year old's imagination.

"Lil Grasshopper don't look so sad!" Agitha exclaimed, "I can write a letter to him. Yes! That's what I'll do! I'm sure he'll come, but it may take a couple days. The postman is weird, and he gets drunk a lot, but he is fast," Agitha ran over to a cluttered desk with papers, writing utensils, and goddesses only knows what else on it. She sifted through these items, delving for something that seemed to be missing.

She found what she'd been searching for, an inkwell. Unfortunately it was empty. After a few more minutes of ransacking every desk and drawer in her house while Link stood back watching awkwardly, Agitha turned, smiling apologetically at Link.

"I'm sorry, Lil Grasshopper. I don't seem to have any more paper  _or_  ink. If you don't mind, could you please buy some for me so I can write the letter?" Agitha asked, clasping her hands together in a pleading manner. Link nodded and Agitha brightened pressing a purple rupee into his hand.

"Thank you! Hurry back!" Agitha called giddily as he left. When Link stepped back onto the cobblestone path it occurred to him that he had no idea where to purchase the supplies. Link sighed and contemplated if it was really worth it. Seriously, what were the odds that the girl was even right? Although he supposed that it could be true since him being in Hyrule was definitely real. It did explain the Hylian crest, the guards, Castle Town, the fields of green, the similar yet different Hylian language…maybe….there was another Link. The Hero of Time perhaps? Yes, it had to be! And seeing as they had traveled back in time there was a good chance that the Hero of  _Time_  could help them get back!

With renewed vigor Link started in a random direction, determined to complete his errand. After a little over an hour Link finally found the secluded shop. It hadn't been easy since he couldn't exactly read what the signs said and had to rely solely on symbols and painted pictures, some better than others, for guidance. The shop was located in one of the quieter sections of town and probably the most neglected. The cobblestones were cracked and missing in places and the buildings looked like the next storm would blow them right off of their wooden foundations. Somehow it felt more comfortable to Link. Maybe because it was a bit closer to what he was used to. The quiet at least.

Link stepped into the shop to be greeted by a grumpy looking shop owner, an old man with graying hair in a yellow vest and long-sleeved brown shirt. The rest of his body was obscured by the desk he was leaning over. The man made him a bit apprehensive, so as quickly and politely as he could Link purchased the slightly overpriced items, which was something he was still getting used to, and left the dreary shop. He had to contribute forty of his own rupees plus the fifty rupees that Agitha had given him to purchase the supplies.

Castle Town seemed to want to rob everyone of their rupees. Link had come with about two thousand rupees in his possession and already he was down to a little over one thousand. Hopefully he wouldn't have to buy much more or he'd go broke.

The green clad hero made haste back to Agitha's, and when he arrived he shoved the items into her hands and eagerly ordered her to write. Agitha swept the papers, quills, and any other inanimate object that was a blight to the space, off of the desk, not seeming to care when it all landed on the floor, slammed down a piece of paper, and sat down. She flicked open the new inkwell and picked up a fallen quill. She then began to write feverishly with Link peering curiously over her shoulder.

It figures that he couldn't read a word of what she was writing. When she was finished she set down her writing utensil and looked expectantly to Link, "So? What do you think?"

Link skimmed the paper from top to bottom to confirm that he couldn't read any of it and declared with as much enthusiasm that the young girl before him normally displayed, "Perfect!"


	9. Little Spies and Prying Eyes

The wind rustled the leaves of the trees gently like a caressing hand. Two girls hid among the many branches of a tree making sure all people were out of sight.

"Okay Aryll. We're going to do some spying," Tetra announced to her temporary pirate associate, glancing up at the child who was crouched on a higher branch. Tetra was sure that she'd figured it out, but she could still be wrong, so they had to check before they went charging in demanding that a random stranger help them.

"Spying? You mean like what Big Brother did in that fortress to save me?" Aryll wondered, cocking her head to the side like a curious puppy.

"Yes….err, kind of. The difference between our spying and what he was doing is that  _we_  won't get caught," Tetra explained.

"Is it safe to get down now, captain?" Aryll asked. Tetra nodded and together the girls carefully climbed down without incident.

"Alright. They went that way so we'll head that way too," Tetra said pointing past the spring in the direction that the boys had retreated to.

"But aren't we supposed to stay hidden?" Aryll questioned, confused.

"Yes, so if you have to say something whisper. Although….." Tetra trailed off an idea forming, "I could send you in there…"

"And let them see me?! That's crazy!" exclaimed Aryll clutching her telescope to her chest and shaking her head at just how preposterous it was.

"Kid, there are two types of spying. With one you stay hidden but with the other you're in plain sight and actually talk to the person you're trying to get information out of. Of course, we'd have to make up a story for you. How about…" Tetra suggested tapping her chin thoughtfully, "…you got lost and can't find your way home. If he asks where your home is just say that you were traveling with your family and got separated and that you come from far away."

"Isn't that lying?" Aryll replied.

"Yeah, so what?"

So, lying is bad!"

Tetra rolled her eyes, "Not when it's for a good cause. Plus it's not a  _complete_  lie. You are lost and can't get home. You do live far away and you're technically separated from your family because we don't know where your brother is. It's not like I'm telling you to change your name or anything. Just tell a few half-truths. It's like acting without the other person knowing that there's a show going on. Don't worry; you won't be alone. I'll be the hidden spy and you'll be the hands on spy."

"Why do we even have to spy? Can't we just ask err…what is it we want to know?" Aryll asked making it quite clear the she still didn't fully support Tetra's idea. Although she did like acting. She had spent many days on Outset putting on puppet shows with her brother for the other inhabitants of the island.

"We need to know if he's your brother's counterpart, and if he is then we're one step closer to getting home, got it?" Tetra explained, exasperated.

Oh…okay then. I still don't like spying though. Why can't you be the hands on spy instead?" Aryll pouted.

"Because I'm a pirate. Hands on spying isn't my thing. I'm stealthy and quiet and you're not. Besides, no one ever thinks anything of a cute little girl like yourself. Now go," Tetra ordered shooing the other girl off toward the village, "I won't be very far away even if you can't see me. Act like it's a game, and for Nayru's sake don't tell them you're spying!"

Tetra trailed Aryll at a safe distance while making sure to remain hidden the whole time. When Aryll finally confronted their target Tetra was too far away to hear much more than bits and pieces of the conversation.

What she did catch sounded normal enough. They must have been at the question and answer game for at least ten minutes before the teen invited Aryll into a literal tree house which Tetra found intriguing. Seriously, who constructed their house in a tree?

Tetra was about to dart out into the open, but to her dismay she noticed some children playing a game a little ways away. Well, that wouldn't do at all. She bit her lip pensively scanning the area for something could use to her advantage.

That's when she noticed the targets set up on the trees and tree branches across from her hiding spot. She smiled devilishly. Perfect. Hopefully this would scare the kids off. Tetra bent down and plucked a reasonable sized pebble up off of the ground. Using her dagger she carved a crude skulls and cross bones symbol into it. Then she repeated the process with a few other rocks.

Next the pirate gathered her ammo into her left hand and took meticulous aim with her right before letting the pebble fly. It wasn't enough to shatter the wooden target but it was enough to make a satisfying  _clack!_  and shake it.

This had drawn the children's attention away from their game and to the eerily swaying target. Tetra threw another, this time hitting a higher one right next to the bulls eye. The next hit home lower and to the left. By now she could tell that she had succeeded in freaking them out to an extent.

"LINK!" the children called frantically, running over and standing apprehensively at the bottom of the tree house ladder. Was that the boy's name? Link? Now that if that wasn't a clue then she didn't know what was. Not to mention it was kind of bizarre. Two people with the same name that look incredibly similar. Something was definitely amiss. Tetra frowned. She hadn't anticipated the children to call for assistance. She'd hoped that they'd just run away.

The boy appeared at the doorway, but Tetra's view was obscured by leaves. He asked the kids something along the lines of what's the matter? And the children responded with over dramatic yelling and pointing at the targets accusingly as if they had committed some unfathomable crime.

He gave them a skeptical look but jumped down from the mini deck, completely ignoring the ladder, and approached the targets. He shifted through the bushes and other various plants for a while before coming across one of her ammo. She cursed under her breath. He wasn't supposed to see that! This just wasn't her day.

The other Link flipped the rock over in his hands, and she saw his eyes widen. He quickly scanned the area for the threat. Tetra sank deeper into the foliage ready to run if she had to. Thankfully Aryll came out just then asking what was wrong.

_"Thank you Aryll,"_ Tetra thought, grateful for the distraction. Now was her chance to sneak away inconspicuously. After all the plan hadn't totally backfired. Now she had proof that he was who they were looking for. All that was left to do now was approach him in the right way, but getting caught at the moment definitely wasn't the best first impression.

Staying low to the ground and dropping the remaining ammo behind a bush, Tetra slinked away as the conversation was taking place. Her foot came down on a twig and snapped it. Tetra gritted her teeth and winced silently cursing the broken stick for getting in her way and swearing that she'd get it back for its treachery one day. She dared a glance to see if anyone had noticed. Unfortunately they were all staring at her hiding spot. Darn that stick. It probably thought that this was funny. Well, she wasn't laughing.

The boy started towards her hiding spot, but Aryll tried to pull him back claiming it was dangerous. However much Tetra appreciated her companion's attempt she knew that it was in vain, and as quickly and silently as she could, while avoiding everything that could be classified as a stick for she would not be thwarted again, she left the premises.

The older Link was already running after her with Aryll in tow. Tetra scrambled up a tree for what she estimated to be the third time that day, and hid among the branches and leaves just as the pair reached the clearing. A glint of metal caught Tetra's eye, and she realized for the first time that the boy had a sword and shield strapped to his back. If he was anything like the Link she knew then those weapons weren't just for show.

"I'm sure it was nothing. Probably just an animal. Let's just go back," Aryll urged attempting to persuade the older boy to leave by tugging on his arm.

"I know I saw something though. You should go back just in case," the boy replied looking around distractedly. From her perch Tetra had a great view of the area. Aryll and the other Link were in the middle their backs to the dense woods behind them. She noticed a monster that resembled a bokoblin but slightly different in a way sneaking up behind Aryll and the boy. In one hand it held a spiked club and in the other a horn. Tetra's eyes widened as she predicated what would happen if she didn't do anything. She was at a crossroads of indecision. After analyzing the situation quickly in her head she came to a terrifying conclusion. There was no way that she could possibly warn Aryll without revealing herself as well. For once the young pirate captain was at a loss for what to do.


	10. Inconvenienced Indirect Postal Service

Inside the protective walls of Castle Town people streamed by in the streets, flowing as smoothly as a gurgling stream in the summertime. Meanwhile in a quaint residence in the southeastern section of town, Agitha, a self-proclaimed princess with a unique appreciation, which was seen by others as more of an obsession, for insects, sealed off an ornate envelope after tucking the letter she had just finished composing inside. She scribbled the name of the recipient, as well as the destination, on the front in big bold strokes. Once she finished this she dropped the quill she was holding and stood up, turning to the young hero that was also in the house.

"Now we just have to deliver it to the Postman!" Agitha announced, sounding as if delivering a letter was the most exciting thing in the world and should not be delayed any longer.

"Great," Link replied with strained emotion, somehow feeling that this was going to involve more than just going up to a guy and handing him a letter, "Where's this postman usually at?"

"Well, he's everywhere!" Agitha exclaimed flinging her arms up to emphasize the range of the Postman's whereabouts. Then she abruptly let her arms fall to her sides, "Except when you need him of course. Then, it's as if he disappeared into thin air, and then tracking him down is almost as hard as catching a flying bug with your bare hands! Oh, but don't worry Lil Grasshopper because here in Castle Town there's a sort of indirect postal service. The Gorons manage it."

"Gorons? Why Gorons?" Link wondered tilting his head to the side as if that would help him see the logic behind it.

"A couple reasons. For one, they have families back in Kakariko that they are always sending mail to. They have an easier time of finding the elusive Postman whenever it's convenient for them unlike most people. I guess it's kind of like a sixth sense," Agitha shrugged, "Another reason is because the Postman hides out in the bar, or so I was told, and there's a Goron that goes there all the time also and usually sees him."

The duo stepped out of the bug-filled house and straight into the late morning rush, Link having smartly slipped the letter into his Delivery Bag so it wouldn't get damaged on the way. Agitha ran ahead of him leaving Link to fend for himself in the river of people. When he finally managed to get out of the small side street, and into the market area that had been so tempting to him before, and still was, he found his acquaintance leaning over the counter of an unmanned shop.

"What are you doing?" Link questioned the younger girl as he approached her from behind. She sighed heavily in disappointment before straightening her posture and facing him.

"The Gorons I usually ask to deliver letters for me aren't here. They're always here. I wonder where they went," Agitha explained seeming a tad upset. She quickly brightened again, "It's not a big deal though. They aren't the only Gorons in Castle Town. In fact, there's a whole house of them in the central square! It's just a bit of a longer walk, but that's fine. Let's go!" Agitha grabbed Link's wrist and dragged the boy through the lively crowd of people, not seeming to be fazed anytime she bumped into someone.

Link allowed himself to be dragged to a building as people pushed past him and his companion. Agitha released her grip on Link and pulled open the door…..or rather, tried to that is. When it didn't work she used two hands to tug on the door, hoping it was just stuck but to no avail. The door was locked.

"Hey Agitha, look," Link spoke up pointing to a sign that looks like it had been hastily hung up on the door, as if the person that had put it there hadn't been planning on departing in the first place.

Agitha scanned it and huffed," Closed? They're never closed." The girl then removed her hands from the door handle and bowed her head in thought.

"Aren't there any more Gorons in Castle Town? Didn't you mention that there was one in the bar?" Link inquired.

Agitha's head snapped up, her slight period of depression gone, "Yes! Yes there is, but…" Agitha trailed off looking to the side guiltily, "they don't allow kids in the bar since the drinking age here is sixteen. Neither of us are sixteen, so we can't get in."

"Do you have any friends that are sixteen or older that can take it for us?" Link wondered, sincerely hoping that she did.

"I have Grasshopper, but that's out of the question because this letter's purpose is to get him here. I have Goron friends, but they aren't here either," Agitha explained her face downcast. The two mulled it over for some time before the younger girl unexpectedly took Link's hands in hers and exclaimed quietly, "Oh yes! I just remembered! One night I was looking for bugs, because some only come out at night, and I was wandering around town. I found a firefly and chased it. It flew all the way to the bar, and I almost had it when the bar owner's pesky cat came out of the shadows and ate my poor bug! Then it jumped on top of some big crates that were stacked on top of each other and disappeared into a window! Since then, I've noticed that the window is usually always open. If it is then we can sneak in, we'll be able to get on those crates with two of us, and deliver the letter!"

"Okay, where's this bar located?" Link asked completely nonchalant about sneaking into a forbidden place since he'd done it so often by now.

"This way! Follow me!" Agitha cried in excitement pointing before shooting off in, what seemed to Link to be, a random direction. He followed obediently and soon found himself being led down two flights of steps until they stopped in an enclosed nook. He immediately spotted the crates that had been in Agitha's woeful story and the window with its shutters wide open beckoning them to come inside.

"Over here Lil Grasshopper!" Agitha called, her voice hushed. Link hurried over to where the bug-obsessed girl was standing. She motioned to a crate beside her and moved out of the way as Link pushed it against the other crates.

"Yay! You're so strong Lil Grasshopper!" Agitha quietly cheered, clapping her hands together in elation. Link waved off her compliment and helped her climb onto the first crate before climbing onto it himself. They scaled the second row of crates with ease and Link was about to head in through the window, but Agitha stopped him.

"Let's keep an eye out for Telma's cat. I know it sounds silly but I'm sure that that cat has more intelligence than others. So let's just be careful in case she tries to warn her owner, okay?" she warned him, seeming to relive the moment when the cat had murdered her precious bug.

"Okay, are you ready or do you want to wait out here?" Link questioned, unsure of whether or not bringing along such an enthusiastic girl was such a good idea.

"Are you kidding? Of course I'm going with you!" Agitha exclaimed as if the matter had been decided from the start. Link nodded and the two progressed through the open window. Link surveyed the attic. The first thing that caught his attention was the three ropes stretched across the floor connecting the wooden floor to separate sections of the room. The second thing that piqued his interest was all the pots. There must have been at least twenty of them. They'd have to be extra careful not to disturb any and alert the people below of the intruders.

"Be careful with the pots," Link whispered before he crept forward cautiously. Agitha nodded and tip-toed forward behind Link. He peered over the edge. Below he could see that the bar was bustling. Boisterous drinkers laughed and shouted for another round while others, more sober than their buddies, chatted. No sign of a Goron was evident to Link's dismay.

"Hey! Lil Grasshopper look!" Agitha indicated a man in one of the darker corners of the bar. Most of the man's hair was obscured by a red cap. He appeared to wear a white uniform with a touch of gold incorporated into it. The corner was dimly lit, making it nearly impossible to make out many more details.

"That's the Postman himself! Doesn't he look weird?" she giggled quietly, "Now we don't have to worry about finding a Goron." Link had to agree with Agitha that the Postman was strange, although not quite as strange as the flying Postman he met in the Realm of the Ocean King. He motioned for his partner to follow, already devising a plan in his head to get the letter to the Postman. As the pair stepped to the right, being careful to avoid any jars, a Persian cat with a maroon ribbon tied fashionably around its neck, blocked their path.

"Shoo kitty!" Agitha whispered while making a shooing motion with her hands and bending her knees slightly, "We're on an important mission!" The cat seemed to ignore the young girl's words and took a threatening step closer to the children, a low growl rumbling from within its small furry body.

"It's just a cat Agitha. Let's just go around it," Link suggested grabbing said girl's hand and doing just that. The feline stood there, staring them down with obvious displeasure at their presence. It hissed before turning and trotting off nonchalantly in the opposite direction.

"I'll keep a lookout in case it comes back. You get the letter in the Postman's hands," Agitha ordered. Link nodded and left the girl at her post while he stepped up to the edge of the floor cautiously. He removed the letter from his Delivery Bag and made to step onto the thick rope that was stretched across the rafters. Before he could, however, a large crash sounded making him jump and stumble back. He swiveled around to glare accusingly at Agitha, sure that the overenthusiastic girl had managed to break something. To his surprise it wasn't Agitha. She had her mouth covered with one hand, eyes wide as she stared in shock at the left side of the attic. Link shifted his disapproving gaze to the other side just in time to see the culprit. The same cat from before was sitting calmly, a smug look painted onto its pushed in face.

That's when Link noticed the absence of sound in the room. It was as if someone had flipped a switch thus muting all sound.

"It was probably Louise again," a man's voice from below predicted.

"Nonsense, she's right here," a woman's voice huffed. That's when Link noticed the cat's sudden disappearance. The sneaky thing had slinked away so quickly Link hadn't even seen it! Agitha looked at him hopelessly, mouthing something along the lines of what do we do now?

They could turn back and abandon the mission, but on the other hand they really needed the letter delivered as soon as possible. If the letter he had clutched in his right hand didn't get delivered then he may never find their friends. If they remained silent then the citizens below will be even more curious to find out what had caused the disturbance. Then they would be forced to retreat and turning back wasn't an option. An idea was blessed upon him right at that moment of something he could try, although it was a gambit that could either help or hinder their cause, but he figured it was better than doing nothing.

"Meow," Link imitated as best as he could. Agitha shot a strange glance his way but otherwise remained silent.

"Another cat probably sneaked in through that window you always keep open," a different women's voice, sounding younger than the other, stated.

The older woman sighed in annoyance and replied, "Guess I'll have to go find the ladder then and shoo it out myself. Return to your food there's nothing to worry about." The volume soon grew back to a loud enough one to conceal their hushed voices.

_"Well, that blew up in my face. Good job, Link,"_  Link silently congratulated himself sarcastically.

"Oh no! We haven't gotten the letter delivered yet!" Agitha lamented, quietly.

"It's fine. We just have a time limit now. Watch out for that woman instead and warn me if she gets close. I'll worry about getting this to the Postman." Link whispered back holding up the letter. Agitha nodded, a determined look on her face, before hurrying over to the edge of the rough wooden floor and peering over it. Link got in his previous position and successfully stepped onto the rope. He balanced on it precariously and walked forward with his arms extended to maintain his balance. When he got to the middle he crouched down slightly so he had the corner that the Postman was nestled in in sight.

The young hero then took aim holding the envelope horizontally so it would cut through the air better and launched it. His aim had been perfect and the letter floated down gently into the Postman's lap. He watched as the Postman leapt to his feet and proclaimed, "A letter from the sky? It must be a message from the goddesses! I must deliver it at once!" The Postman then abandoned his drink, not noticing as it tilted and spilled its alcoholic contents on the table, and rushed out of the bar.

"Lil Grasshopper, hurry she's coming!" Agitha alerted him. Link stood up slowly and rushed back to the actual floor as fast as was possible without falling. Link pulled Agitha back from the edge.

"Did she see me?" Link wanted to know. Agitha shook her head. A wooden ladder clacked against the attic floor, and they overheard the woman telling someone to hold it steady for her. Link and Agitha ran to the window and slipped back outside. Link dropped down to the ground and assisted Agitha in doing the same. They pressed their backs up against the stack of crates and tried to shrink into the shadows as much as possible. Not a moment later Telma's head popped out of the window and she scanned the area. Seeing no sign of an animal of any kind she harrumphed and closed the shutters with a finalizing  _bang!_

Link let out a breath of relief and stepped away from the crate a bit, craning his neck to make sure the coast was clear before coming out of his hiding spot completely. When he confirmed that it was he gestured for Agitha to come away from the crates. She relaxed her stiff posture and squealed, "That….was the most fun I have ever had without bugs!" Link laughed and Agitha added, "You make a very believable cat too!"

The duo then made their way away from Telma's bar and the mischievous cat that aimed to destroy them and back to Agitha's abode. When they were standing outside of it Agitha whirled around and said with true felicity streaming off of her words, "That was awesome! Who knew that delivering a letter could be so exciting?! Anyway, you must be hungry by now, right?" Link nodded eagerly. He had been starving ever since they arrived in this strange world.

"It's past lunch time by now. Oh, I know! We could have a picnic! I'll bring the food, so don't worry about that! We'll have it in the garden. Go there and wait with your friends. I'll catch up in a few minutes," Agitha informed him before disappearing into her own house. Link made his way out of Castle Town and back to the garden where his friends were impatiently waiting.

"So?" Medli wondered.

"What took you so long?" Makar demanded.

"I asked Agitha and she said that she has a friend that will escort us to Ordon. I'm pretty sure that that friend is the Hero of Time too. Anyway, she wrote a letter to him. It took a while to track down the Postman but we managed it, and now all we have to do is wait," Link explained, approaching his friends.

"The mail delivery can't be nearly as fast as our system. What are we going to do while we wait?" Medli sighed.

"Well, Agitha offered to give us a picnic. She's putting it together as we speak," Link replied hoping to lift his companion's spirits a little more.

Great! I'm so hungry!" Medli exclaimed and Makar showed his agreement by jumping up and down in excitement, causing the others to chuckle at his antics. The trio didn't have to wait very long for Agitha to appear with a checkered red and white blanket, and a basket laden with food draped over her left arm.

"I'm here!" Agitha announced as if it wasn't obvious enough. She set down the basket, and then laid out the blanket with Medli's assistance. They all then made themselves comfortable on the ground and Agitha divided up the food evenly among everyone, with the exception of Makar who claimed that water would quench his hunger just fine. Koroks did not have the same eating habits as other races. Since they were more or less plants, they were classified as autotrophs and only needed to consume water.

Medli and Link, however, accepted the food that was handed to them whether they were familiar with it or not. Agitha helpfully provided information about the food they were skeptical about such as the goat cheese and pumpkin dessert. The rest was pretty familiar but also a rarity on the Great Sea such as the cucco sandwiches, and apples. Despite the unfamiliar food they all enjoyed it nonetheless. Link was the only one that worried after the meal about cuccos potentially attacking them for eating their brethren, but then decided that it was worth it seeing as at least he wouldn't die hungry if they did decide to come for vengeance.


	11. Ambush

Just outside the quiet village of Ordon a certain pirate captain was faced with a decision. Tetra swiftly debated whether to take action. The reminder of Aryll being Link's little sister was all she needed to animate her. She was about to jump down but then took into account how far away the ground was and decided that it wouldn't be such a good idea. She knew she was taking too long and had to do something now if was going to do anything. That's when she noticed the vine dangling in front of her like a rope and she got an idea.

Meanwhile the older boy had sensed an unknown presence behind them. Thinking that it was the troublemaker from before, he whirled around to come face-to-face with the monster who had its club raised, poised to strike Aryll down. As if in slow motion he pushed Aryll out of harm's way and drew his weapon quickly. He stepped forward and brought his sword down on the creature and it fell back with a cry. At the same moment that this was occurring Tetra had just jumped onto the vine and swung in the monster's direction. Imagine her surprise when she saw that the monster had been replaced with the other Link. It was too late to turn back now or even slow down. Her momentum wouldn't allow her do anything but sail through the air until she hit something. She crashed into the other Link, who yelled in shock, and they both tumbled to the ground.

Link leaped to his feet and picked up his fallen weapon before turning its shining blade on Tetra, who had her dagger drawn. He rushed at her, clearly interpreting her was a threat and not an acquaintance. Tetra's eyes widened in disbelief and she dodged, the honed metal just missing her by a couple of inches.

"What the heck is your problem?!" Tetra exclaimed, furious that he was attacking her when she wasn't the enemy.

"You attacked me first!" Link retorted, making a horizontal slice which Tetra evaded by back flipping out of reach.

"That was an accident!" Tetra screamed in frustration.

"How do you attack someone by accident?!" Link argued still refusing to listen to her side of the story and swinging his blade her way once again. She met it with her own and the two glared at each other, the older boy's strength clearly winning over the young pirate.

"Guys stop!" Aryll's futile cries rang out around the wood. It was if they were deaf to everything else around them and the only thing that shook them out of their personal dispute was the blare of a horn. The dueling pair turned to look, their fracas momentarily forgotten. The bokoblin-type creature had discarded its horn to the side and raised its club, squealing a battle cry.

From out from behind bushes, trees, and any other concealing object appeared an entire horde of identical looking green-skinned monsters, all equipped with clubs and advancing quickly. Tetra took care of the first one that charged her, relishing in Link's shocked face as he watched her take down the monster that he thought she was commanding. He tore his gaze away from her and to the monsters approaching him, knocking them all back with a single slice. Tetra preferred to concentrate on her own battle rather than watching the elder boy and side-stepped as the monster's spiked club occupied the place she had previously been standing. She attacked the creature while it was open and disposed of it fairly quickly.

Aryll was safely in the middle of the circle that Link and Tetra had automatically formed around her in their fighting the bokoblin-like monsters, their bodies posing as the guidelines to an invisible barrier. Link was having better luck than Tetra in defending the small girl since his blade was longer and sharper, but even with a small blade Tetra wasn't allowing any monsters to sneak past her. She had made a promise and she was going to keep it.

Tetra ducked as two monsters came from either side of her swinging their weapons as if they didn't know how to use them and caused the creatures to injure each other instead of her. She finished the job by stabbing them both before swiping her leg out and successfully tripping the nearest monster. It fell with an irritated cry and she ended its existence quickly. It was strange. Anytime a monster died they disappeared into this grayish, almost black, smoke as if they weren't tangible. They almost looked like shadows. She made a mental note to figure it out later and turned to face the next berserk enemy.

She feinted right and struck home on its left shoulder. This enraged it further and it attempted to hit her, but she attacked it again before it had a chance to do any damage. "You know what, I'm really getting sick of you freaks," Tetra sighed in exasperation, charging another one that met the same fate as its cohorts. She stole a glance over her shoulder to see how Aryll was holding up. The poor girl looked scared to tears but didn't show any sign of one.

Tetra returned her cold gaze on the next foolish challenger. It made to knock her feet out from under her by swiping low with its club, but she leaped over it and kicked the monster in the face. It screamed and stumbled back. When she landed back on her own two feet she rushed the foul creature and stabbed it where its heart would have been if it had one. It faded in the same shadow like substance as the others. She removed her weapon from the air and glanced around searching for more. However, it looked like the enemies on her side had stopped coming. She looked in Link's direction to see him finishing off the last of his enemies. Only two were still standing.

She turned to Aryll who wasn't looking as scared as before. Tetra sheathed her dagger and winked at the kid, glad to see her free from danger.

Aryll saluted, an elated expression on her childish face. In the blink of an eye her expression changed to one of fear and she screamed, "Tetra watch out!" Tetra whirled around just in time to see a club flying at her face. She ducked at the last second and tried to unsheathe her dagger only to find that it was caught in its sheathe. Her eyes widened and she rolled out of the way of the next attack figuring that she'd have to use hand to hand combat now. She leaped to her feet and spun around with her leg extended kicking the creature in the stomach. To her amazement her attack did nothing and the monster grasped her ankle in its hands and threw her up in the air.

Tetra used the time to right herself and landed on the back on the monster. Outraged it tried to throw her off, but Tetra wouldn't allow that. She finally slipped her dagger free and went to cut its shoulder. The monster jerked to the side suddenly and she automatically let go of her weapon to stay on it. It had seemed that this was exactly what the creature had been waiting for and it flipped its club around and aimed over its shoulder, catching the surprised girl in the side of the head.

Unable to hold on any longer Tetra fell to the ground, pain shooting up her left temple. Spots dotted her vision and she almost thought that she was going to faint, but she fought to regain complete consciousness. Despite her condition, she refused to be defeated by a monster as simple as this one and forced herself to her hands and knees. After all, if she didn't get up the vacuous creature would go for Aryll next and she couldn't let that happen. When she finally lifted her head she witnessed the other Link jumping in front of her and meeting the bokoblin-type monster's club with his own sword.

Aryll had picked up Tetra's dagger from where she had dropped it and kneeled down beside her, offering the weapon as if it was a consolation prize. Tetra took it solemnly and put it away. Now she was angry because that idiot had jumped in the way to protect her and by the looks of things he had beaten it already. Protecting Aryll was her job, not his. On top of that he made her look bad. She could've taken care of herself. She wasn't weak but thanks to this fight he probably thought she was.

Tetra got to her feet despite Aryll's protests that she should sit down for a while. Tetra herself didn't see the big deal, the monster had hit her in the side of the head, that was true, but it had hit her with the very tip of its weapon so the spikes hadn't touched her since they were positioned on the sides. Even so it made for a splitting headache which she chose to ignore. Link sheathed his weapon and made his way over to the two girls.

"Are you alright? You got hit pretty hard," Link asked directing his question at Tetra.

"What the heck is this?! First you attack me and now you're concerned for me? What kind of crazy person are you?" Tetra exclaimed in disbelief. She couldn't believe this guy. One moment he was out for her blood and the next he was trying to help her?! She definitely preferred her Link over this one any day. The mood swings are kind of weird. Of course she had them too but at least her mood swings made sense!

"I was confused. I thought that since you came out of nowhere and knocked me to the ground you were trying to distract me so that monster could get to Aryll," Link explained.

"I was trying to protect Aryll! I wasn't planning on tackling you to the ground. I was aiming for the monster.  _You_  just got in the way," Tetra replied haughtily, crossing her arms.

"Well sorry," Link apologized, looking mildly shocked to see her standing after the blow to the head she just took, "I can help you heal that bump on your head. There's a spring right over there," he jerked his thumb behind him, "It has healing properties."

"And I should trust you…why?" Tetra inquired raising an eyebrow in distrust.

"You should trust me because I just told you it was a misunderstanding. Besides that, you're hurt and probably going to faint any minute. I'd like to get you to the spring before that happens," Link defended, his tone serious but joking at the same time.

"You don't know that I'm going to faint. In fact, I feel fine! I can endure a lot, not like  _you_  would know anything about that," Tetra retaliated.

"Just let him take you to the spring!" Aryll interrupted, grabbing Tetra's wrist in both her hands, "I don't want to see you hurt."

Tetra looked down at Aryll about to refuse and shake the girl off, but when she looked into Aryll's pleading emerald eyes she somehow forgot how to say no. Instead she nodded and the little girl's expression brightened.

"Aryll, why don't you go back to the village and have the other kids show you around a bit," Link suggested turning to the younger of the two.

"But-" Aryll was about to argue when Tetra cut her off.

"That wasn't a suggestion. Do what he says, now," Tetra ordered, the pain in her head warning her that they shouldn't stall much longer unless she wanted to end up on the ground. Aryll bowed her head slightly in understanding and ran off towards the village. Once she was gone Link took Tetra gently but firmly by the wrist and guided her in the opposite direction. She allowed herself to be led by the older boy, masking the pain that was exploding in her head at the moment.

She had gotten extremely good at hiding her emotion. Once her mother died years ago she realized that if she was ever going to become successful she had to conceal her emotions. Emotion had been her mother's downfall and she vowed that it wouldn't be hers. No one knew this of course, which was why she preferred to keep it secret. However, if people knew her well enough, they may be able to see past the mask but only her crew could do that. Her hero was getting close though. She wondered if that was a good or bad thing.

They entered a spring that looked almost identical to Faron's. In fact, if she didn't know any better she'd say that it  _was_  Faron's. Tetra knew that it couldn't be though. Faron's spring was further into the wood over the suspension bridge. No golden light shone in this spring's crystal like water.

"So, how does this work?" Tetra asked gazing at the calm water in doubt that it could heal anything. It didn't look special but then again, looks can be deceiving. She knew everything about that.

"You just have to submerge the wound in water and the spring will do the rest. For your case it might be best to lay down. The water's shallowest near the shore, but the further in you go the deeper it gets, so be careful," Link explained, releasing his hold on her.

Tetra walked forward into the spring while Link stood back watching. She went far enough in that the water licked just above her ankles before laying down. As soon as the water hit her wound she gasped in pain. It felt as if she had been clobbered over the head again and her vision swam for a moment. Then the pain began to gradually diminish until it was just a memory. She laid there for a moment as if to confirm that it was over before sitting up. Tetra raised a hand and gingerly touched the left side of her head. There wasn't a bump present and nothing was irritated by her gentle touch. The spring had done its job.

"Better?" Link asked, smiling hopefully.

"Yeah. I'm fine now. How does it work?" Tetra whispered glancing around the spring in wonder.

Link shrugged, "In this spring resides the light spirit Ordona, so the spirit uses its magic to bless the spring. It was silent for a moment before Link spoke up again, "Anyway, what were you exactly doing in a tree?"

"Just hanging around," Tetra said slyly, turning her full attention on the boy a few feet away from her.

"I'm serious, what were you doing? Hiding? Spying?" Link wondered, seeming a bit agitated by the shrewdness of her answers.

She hesitated a bit before responding. If she told him that she had been spying then he probably wouldn't trust her any more than he does now, but on the other hand her entrance wasn't exactly the most reassuring that she meant no harm, so she figured that she had nothing to lose. Besides, they needed his help if they ever wanted to return home according to Faron. "You could say that I was spying," Tetra answered finally, choosing her words carefully. Before Link had a chance to voice his thoughts Tetra spoke once again. This time it was her turn to ask a question, "What's this land called?"

"Hyrule," Link replied shortly about to ask another question of his own.

"Ha! Yeah right. I'm serious," Tetra smirked, "Where are we?"

"I just told you. Hyrule," Link repeated.

"Fine; don't tell me," Tetra shrugged nonchalantly. Things weren't making any sense. He claims that this place is Hyrule but it can't be. Hyrule was drowned years before she was even born. Then again….the Master Sword. Maybe it was Hyrule, but if it was then it couldn't be the future since he would have told her 'New Hyrule' instead of just plain 'Hyrule'. It also couldn't be the present since the land was buried below the ocean in the present. That left the past as the only logical explanation, but  _when_  in the past? The Hero of Time possibly? No. It couldn't be. The stories told of a boy, a  _child_  that traveled through time. The one in front of her, while he boasted the garb of the ancient hero, he was much too old to be the boy from legend. Maybe they were so far into the past, even further than the legendary hero's, that the stories of it hadn't survived the drowning of the kingdom.

If that was the case then sharing any information about herself, the others, and where they came from would be a huge mistake. She didn't need the past to be freaking out about their precious kingdom being flooded. There was also the chance that he wouldn't believe her and then they'd be labeled as insane and probably wouldn't get any help. If they really were in the past she didn't want to alter anything major since it would mess up the future, err present day… All this time talk was making her head hurt, unless that was the after effects of Ordona's healing methods.

She was so lost in thought that she didn't even realize that Link was trying to get her attention until he grabbed her shoulder and shook her slightly. "What?" she snapped shying away from his touch.

"Are you okay? You spaced out for a few seconds," Link asked, seeming concerned.

"I was just thinking. You should try it sometime," Tetra shot back, standing up and pushing past him. The lack of sleep and food wasn't doing wonders for her attitude. On top of that a growing headache pounded inside her skull. She didn't feel like being interrogated.

She heard him sigh from behind her. "Let's go to my house to talk then. You're obviously in the same situation as Aryll even if you won't admit it," Link said, jogging to catch up with her.

"What exactly did Aryll tell you?" Tetra wondered keeping her eyes trained on the path in front of her. She hoped that the kid hadn't said anything to jeopardize her plan of keeping their origins a secret. Although it occurred to her that Aryll couldn't give away too much since they hadn't told her everything about their journey. All she knew was that her brother battled monsters to save her and then she traveled with the pirates while her brother took care of some unfinished business. They hadn't told Aryll what the "important stuff" her brother had to complete before going home was to preserve her childhood. After all, Tetra and Link had had that snatched away from them. Tetra still took the blame for dragging Link and Aryll into any of it in the first place, but now she had begun to realize that they had all been doomed to this fate from the start.

"She told me that she was traveling with her brother and his friends. Then they got separated and she got lost looking for them. I tried to ask where she was when she got separated but she said that she didn't know. Are you one of her brother's friends?" Link replied.

"I am," Tetra confirmed, nodding once.

"Then do you know where you guys were when you were separated? I could take you there and help you get reunited with them," Link offered.

"Don't you know the meaning of lost? Of course I don't know where we were! I think I made that pretty clear when I asked what this land was called! Even if we did know and you took us there, it wouldn't do any good," Tetra exclaimed, making eye contact this time, "They wouldn't have stayed in the same place that we got separated."

It was silent then the soft wind rustling the tree tops. When they made it to Link's house Tetra scaled the ladder quickly, refusing any assistance from the older boy. Aryll was nowhere in sight so it was safe to assume that she was still taking a tour of the village with the other kids. Tetra gazed around the house. It had a larger interior than she'd been expecting. A large black pot hung over the fireplace and other pieces of furniture were placed off to the right and left sides of the spacious room. A large hand-woven rug hugged the wooden floorboards. Off to the side was a series of ladders and wooden platforms leading to what she assumed passed as the second level of the house.

"What did you say your name was again?" Link wondered shattering the silence between the two.

"I didn't," Tetra stated blatantly, still examining every inch of the house.

"What's your name?" Link attempted once again, rephrasing his question.

"Tetra," she replied glancing at him out of the corner of her eye.

"My name's Link, but you probably already knew that," Link supplied, referring to her earlier spying session. Tetra said nothing, just cracked a small smile that she knew he couldn't see.

"Why don't we discuss this when Aryll gets back since it involves her too," Link suggested noticing Tetra's fatigue.

"Really?" Tetra wondered taken aback by the older boy's suggestion. She had thought he wanted an explanation now instead of later but he was proving her wrong.

"Well, yeah. You seem pretty tired and I know the spring's healing magic can do that sometimes. Besides, Aryll said that she'd been lost for a day, two if you count today as one of them. That's a lot of time to go without food and sleep," Link admitted.

"She slept," Tetra defended.

"But you probably didn't. I have the feeling that you stayed awake to keep her safe, judging by what you did today. Get some rest, and then we'll talk," Link motioned to a couch she hadn't even noticed was there. The invitation was too tempting for her to refuse. In seconds she was curled up on the couch, a blanket draped over her, barely able to keep her eyes open. Her deep blue orbs closed on their own and she drifted off to enter a new land. This one, made neither of rolling green fields and mountains, nor waves of blue, but of dreams.


	12. So Many Questions, Not Enough Answers

Nestled securely inside the branches of a tree rested a well-constructed house. Inside this wooden structure resided the hero of the land who, at the moment, was deep in thought while a young girl rested a little ways away.

Link couldn't believe the day he was having. First Epona went missing so of course he had to find her since he couldn't go to work without his horse. (After his twilight adventure Link had gone home almost immediately. He had thought that he wouldn't be able to after everything he went through, but it turned out that he had nothing to worry about. He had left the village for some time to clear his mind but it didn't take long before he returned. He wasn't the same person he was a year ago, that was for sure, but he wasn't changed so dramatically that it disabled him from returning to his old lifestyle. He didn't help Fado as often as before, but he tried to help out at least three times a week.) Then Colin had seemed bored so Link invited him along on the search. They had gone to the spring where they discovered that Epona wasn't there as they'd suspected. After delving around the area a bit the pair had headed back to the village where Colin went to go find Ilia and Link was about to search for his horse call when a little girl ran up to him looking close to tears and claiming that she was lost. He had to spend the next ten or fifteen minutes interrogating her before letting her enter his home and feeding her since she had obviously been starving.

Next he was called for by the other kids who were shouting over each other, so he couldn't make heads or tails of what they were trying to say. Eventually he got the gist of it and went to investigate and found a rock with a threatening image scratched into it. Then he had to go track the nefarious person or thing down with the little girl, Aryll, in tow. They had been attacked by a Bulblin, and then a random girl came out of nowhere and tackled him to the ground. Since they already had been targeted by a Bulblin it was only natural for him to assume that this girl was in league with them and trying to distract him so the monster could get to Aryll, so of course he attacked the girl who wielded a weapon of her own.

The girl had nimbly dodged all of his attacks and tried to persuade him that she wasn't an enemy. Link had ignored her, thinking that that would be exactly what an enemy  _would_  say. The monster that he had stunned had gotten back on its feet while they were in the middle of their quarrel and blown its horn thus pulling its companions forth out of hiding and onto the battlefield.

To his surprise the girl had taken down the first Bulblin by herself without hesitation, proving to him that she had no connection with the monsters. They had fended the Bulblins off together and soon Link had only a couple left on his side when he heard Aryll scream. He had dealt the final blow to the monsters before spinning around on his heel just in time to see the unknown girl on a straggler Bulblin's back and he watched as the monster cleverly flipped its weapon around and the girl's futile attempt to dodge. She had fallen to the ground and the monster had been about to strike her again but he had snapped out of whatever trance had rendered him immobile and jumped in front of the fallen girl that had been struggling to get up. He beat back the Bulblin with expertise, and then turned back around to see the girl already on her feet. He had been surprised to see her standing after that blow to the head she had just taken. Link had then ordered Aryll to go back to the village because he didn't want her to be in any more danger and also because he didn't want the child to see the other girl faint since it may scare her even more. Aryll had been about to protest, but as soon as the girl issued the same order she left at once which Link found a tad strange, but if they did know each other then he supposed it wasn't all that strange that Aryll would do what the other girl told her to.

Link had then taken the girl, who seemed as though she was going to pass out any minute, to the spring and allowed the spring's healing properties to do the rest. They talked a bit and Link found out fairly quickly how much of an attitude she had on her. He had dealt with many different kinds of people on his previous journey so he knew what type of approach to take in dealing with her. Link was going to try be nice to her even if she was rude to him since that had eventually worked with Midna who also had a unique personality.

He had taken her to his house where she was now resting since she still seemed drained of most of her energy. What bothered him though was the fact that she admitted that she was spying. Another thing that didn't make sense was her accusing him of lying that this land was called Hyrule. She had acted strange about the matter and had spaced out for a few seconds, her face unreadable.

He didn't understand where she or Aryll had come from. When he had questioned Aryll about it the only answer he had received was 'far away'. What was that supposed to mean? Another country or a secret section of Hyrule that no one knew about? The latter probably wasn't true. He had explored all of Hyrule and knew all of its secrets. So they must have come from another country but that still posed the question…why? They couldn't possibly be a threat; they were just kids. Maybe they had run away from their country because of a corrupt monarchy. That could be it and if it was then it meant that they had no home. Yet somehow Link didn't think that was the case.

_"All you have to do is be patient,"_  Link reminded himself,  _"Once you talk to both of them you'll get a better idea of what is going on."_ Until then Link decided to busy himself by delving for his horse call. Usually he had it on hand but after his adventure he had tucked away all his gear in different places thinking that it would help keep his house cleaner. He proved to be wrong though and he had no clue where most of his items vanished to. He sometimes wondered if there was a place that lost things went when they were lost for so long. As if it was a game of hide and seek and the hider had gotten bored and abandoned the game. Link searched his house quietly so as not to disturb Tetra, but after a while it became clear that his horse call was nowhere to be found leading him to wonder if Ilia had stolen it which would have been ironic since she was the one who had given it to him in the first place.

Aryll entered the house just then and Link abandoned his futile search. "Is Tetra okay?" Aryll asked as soon as she stepped inside, a look of worry on her childish face.

"She's fine," Link reassured the little girl before him, "She's just sleeping right now."

"I'm glad she's okay!" Aryll exclaimed quietly, an elated smile replacing her previous frown. Then she changed the subject, "The other kids showed me around the whole village! It's really pretty, and they even showed me a kitty by the pond. We tried to catch it, but it kept running away from us."

"That sounds like Sera's cat. It's always escaping from her shop," Link explained, "Hey Aryll, while you were walking around the village you didn't happen to see a horse did you?"

"Um….what's a horse?" Aryll wondered a look of confusion painted across her features. Link was surprised. How did she not know what a horse was? They were land animals used for travel especially. How had her brother and friends been traveling? On foot? What could her not knowing what a horse mean? Link decided to humor her though and explained as best as he could.

"So a horse is an animal that people can ride?" Aryll checked once he was finished with his explanation.

Link nodded, "Yes, and I was asking because mine seemed to disappear this morning."

"How can such a big animal disappear?" Aryll wondered.

"Well, disappeared might not be the best word to use," Link admitted, "but the point is that I don't know where she is."

"That's sad…I know! I'll help you look for her!" Aryll said hopefully. Link glanced back at Tetra. She was still fast asleep and he doubted that she'd wake up anytime soon.

Turning back to Aryll he replied, "Sure, if you really want to."

"Of course I want to! You're helping us; it's only fair. C'mon let's go!" Aryll giggled skipping to the door. Link followed after the excited little girl and the pair headed into the village. Colin came running up to them.

"I can't find Epona or Ilia anywhere Link!" Colin reported, "Do you think she left the village?"

"Why would she leave the village?" Link queried raising an eyebrow in question. Colin just shrugged.

"Who's Ilia?" Aryll interrupted.

"She's my best friend. We've known each other since we were little and she's constantly stealing my horse," Link informed Aryll.

"Why does she steal your horse if you're friends?" Aryll wanted to know.

"Well, when we were little and I first got Epona she helped me take care of her. Epona always liked me better though and Ilia got jealous so she stole Epona hoping to strengthen their bond I guess. For years Ilia has been doing this, but usually it doesn't take that long to find them since they're usually at the spring since that was where we had always taken care of Epona together." Link explained.

"Really? That's the reason? I always thought that she stole Epona anytime she got mad at you," Colin chimed in.

Link laughed, "Well, I'm sure that has something to do with it too."

"Did you guys fight recently?" Aryll inquired, attempting to come up with a solution.

Link thought for a few seconds, "No. Nothing that I can think of….I wonder if her father knows anything."

"Yeah! We should ask Mayor Bo! He should know where his own daughter is, right?" Colin agreed. They all made their way to the mayor's house and Colin and Aryll waited outside while Link spoke with the mayor.

Link and Bo exchanged quick greetings and then Link began to explain about his whole crazy morning. At first he was just going to ask about Ilia's whereabouts, but then thought that it'd only be natural to inform the mayor of what was going on in his village.

"Hmm…well I hope you can reunite those girls with their friends but enough of that. Ilia…let's see…she told me this morning that she was going to 'do Link's job for him'. I don't exactly know what she meant by that, but maybe you do?" Mayor Bo responded after Link finished his story.

Link thought about it _, "Do my job for me? Well, my job as hero's done so she can't mean that. What else is my job?"_  Link gasped in realization. "Thanks Mayor Bo! I know where to find her, see ya!" Link exclaimed in a rush before running out the door.

"I take it you know where she is?" Colin wondered as soon as Link stepped outside.

"Yes, and I can't believe that we never thought to check there! It's so obvious!" Link replied, feeling foolish for never thinking of it until now.

"Check where?" Colin and Aryll pressed.

"Fado's Ranch! Come on!" Link broke into a run and made a beeline for the entrance to the ranch with Colin and Aryll hot on his heels. The gate was closed but Link could see Ilia among the few goats in the field.

"Ilia!" Link hopped on the fence and yelled to get her attention.

Ilia smiled and ran over to him, "Hello, Link. How's your morning been?"

"You're sure you want to ask that?" Link sighed, "Where's Epona?"

"Relax," Ilia giggled, "She's in the barn," Ilia motioned behind her towards the large wooden barn. Link couldn't believe that he was so stupid and didn't think of checking the ranch. Although he supposed that it was a good thing that Ilia took over his job for today since it would allow him time to help Aryll and Tetra. He was about to interrogate her about his missing horse call but thought better of it since if Ilia didn't steal it, she wouldn't be too pleased to know that he had misplaced the gift she had made for him.

"I'm doing your job today, so you don't have to worry about it," Ilia announced sounding proud of herself as if she'd just won a race.

"Not that I'm not grateful or anything but why are you doing it for me?" Link wanted to know, thinking it strange that Ilia suddenly wanted to help him out. She'd never shown great interest in his work before.

"Well, to tell you the truth you've seemed kind of stressed lately so I thought that if I did this for you then you'd have more time to relax." Ilia replied. Ilia thought that he was stressed? He wasn't. He was just tenser since his adventure. After all, he did turn into a wolf which heightened his senses, and it's hard to completely relax when he keeps hearing things that he didn't before. Link was still getting used to it, so until he learned to distinguish between what sounds were normal and which were worth investigating he would probably seem stressed to others, or so he assumed by Ilia's answer.

"Who's that cutie?" Ilia wondered, pointing at Aryll who was in the process of showing Colin her telescope.

"That's Aryll," Link began to explain, "She got lost along with another girl and I'm helping them."

"Well, it's a good thing that I'm taking over your job today then!" Ilia proclaimed, "You couldn't possibly help them if you were working." Link nodded his agreement and Ilia shooed him off of the fence. "Stop dawdling here and go help those poor girls. I've got this ranch stuff covered so you don't have to worry about it."

"Thanks Ilia!" Link called over his shoulder as he herded the two kids away from the ranch and back towards the village. He planned to catch Sera's cat before heading back to check to see if Tetra was awake yet. He didn't want to wake her, even if he was curious, because she'd be able to tell him more if she could think straight.

"Okay, I'll be right back. I need to go get something from my house. Wait here, alright?" Link announced addressing both of the children in front of him. They both nodded and Link left. He quickly entered his house and grabbed his fishing rod, glancing at Tetra to confirm that she was still sleeping which she was. He swiftly made his way back to Colin and Aryll.

"What's that fishing rod for? Are we going to go fishing?" Aryll queried, rocking back and forth on her heels.

"Yup. We're going to get Sera's cat back where it belongs," Link answered heading towards the village's water source.

"How will that get the cat back home?" Aryll wondered, falling into step beside him.

"Sera's cat likes fish so it goes down to the pond to catch some. The thing is that it isn't so good at it. Once it gets a fish though, it goes back home," Colin explained. The trio reached the pond. The calico cat was at the edge of the water dipping its paw in and then jerking it out quickly as if the water was lava.

As soon as it caught sight of them if stopped its futile attempts and eyed them warily as if their presence made catching anything a lost cause. Link ignored the cat and stepped up to the edge of the water before casting his line. Colin and Aryll sat down beside him and they waited.

After a few minutes of silence Link broke it by starting up a conversation, "So Aryll, why is that telescope so important to you? You haven't put it down since we met."

"It's my most prized possession. One day when I was really little, five I think, I was playing and a seagull brought me this telescope. I didn't know where it had gotten it and I still don't, but I always believed that it was a gift from my mom. Grandma says that she loved seagulls too. Ever since then I've carried it around because I don't want to lose it," Aryll informed him, tracing the hand-painted seagulls with her finger.

Link thought that it was cute that she carried the telescope with her everywhere but he also wondered where her mom was. Aryll had said that she thought it was a gift from her mom, but if it was then wouldn't her mom have left a note with it, and why wasn't her mom living with her? Another thing was a seagull bringing her the 'gift'. Link knew what seagulls were and he had read and saw pictures of them in books, but he had never seen one in person. Where did this girl live that enabled her to see real seagulls? Link decided to question that later since she would probably give him the same answer as before, and instead turned his attention to the small tugs on his fishing rod. A fish was biting.

He had done plenty of fishing on his previous journey and had gotten pretty good at it if he said so himself. Link stood up and tightened his grip on the fishing rod. He waited until he felt a more forceful jerk than before that nearly tore the tool out of his hands and with a quick flick of his wrist he began to reel in his catch. The children on either side of him cheered him on as he wrestled with the fish.

With one another quick flick he had the fish out of the water and squirming on the hook of his fishing rod. The fish flopped to the ground before Link could stop it, and as quick as a bolt of lighting the cat darted in, trapped the fish in its mouth, and ran all the way home.

"Yay; it worked!" Aryll laughed, throwing her hands up in the air in felicity.

"That cat has to learn how to catch its own fish sometime," Link commented.

"But then it's not fun anymore," Aryll pointed out.

"Your right. Then it wouldn't be fun anymore," Link agreed, cracking a smile, "We should be getting back to my house, Aryll."

"Okay," Aryll replied, standing up and dusting herself off.

"See ya Link!" Colin called to their retreating backs. Link returned the farewell with a wave of his hand. The duo walked back to the house chatting along the way about seagulls where Link learned that Aryll was apparently a seagull magnet and had pet them before. When they entered Link's abode Tetra was still asleep. He hadn't actually expected her to be awake yet since it had only been an hour or two.

To pass the time Link and Aryll talked quietly about animals and which were their favorites. Aryll didn't have much knowledge about many types of animals which Link found strange. She knew what pigs, seagulls, cats, dogs, cuccos, and, vaguely, monkeys were, but anything else was completely new and unfamiliar to her. He didn't mind explaining to her what goats, horses, boars, wolves, squirrels, or cows were but he couldn't help but wonder what her lack of knowledge meant.

Link also took Aryll outside and showed her some of his sword techniques which she seemed amazed at just like the other kids. By then it was past lunchtime so they returned to the treehouse to eat only to find that Tetra was beginning to stir. She opened her eyes slowly and blinked a few times to clear her vision before sitting up.

"You're awake, finally!" Aryll exclaimed running over to Tetra and jumping onto the couch next to her.

"Settle down. It's not a big deal. You act like I was sleeping forever," Tetra mumbled.

"Well, it's past noon now. We were just about to have lunch," Aryll informed her.

"Lunch sounds good," Tetra replied, stretching her arms above her head.

"We can talk about your situation during lunch," Link suggested and then quickly added, "If that's okay with you."

"Sure," Tetra shrugged, "Before, after, during, it's all the same." Five minutes later they were all seated at the wooden table and eating a lunch of bread and pumpkin soup.

"So why don't you two start by telling me what the problem is exactly. I know that you got separated from your companions, but is that all or is there more to it?" Link began.

"We all got lost first and then we got separated," Tetra answered shortly before taking a bite of bread.

"How many of you are there?" Link questioned.

Aryll counted on her fingers before proclaiming, "Five including me and Tetra!"

"Let me simplify this for you," Tetra sighed, "If you're going to help us then you better be committed because this is going to take more than just reuniting us. Are you still on board?"

Link glanced back and forth between the two girls. He didn't know them and yet he felt obligated to help them. He figured at first that that was because of his hero blood but now it felt that there was another reason. The thing was that he didn't know what that reason could possibly be. Nonetheless he was going to help them no matter what. He felt as if saying no would be a sin.

"Of course. I promise," Link said seriously.

Tetra nodded as if she'd been anticipating his answer and continued, "Alright then listen closely. Before Aryll and I stumbled upon this village and you, we were called to Faron's spring where the light spirit there told us a riddle that would help us get back home."

"What was the riddle?" Link wondered, even more interested. Faron, or any of the light spirits for that matter, rarely talked to anyone. The fact that he had called upon these two girls to speak with them definitely couldn't be ignored and most likely meant something significant.

"It went like this:

_'Search for your counterparts; Find a boy in green and princess in gold,_

_And reach deep into the light._

_Reawaken the servant who dreams,_

_Then enter the castle within,_

_And bless an ancient life with light._

_A path shall be opened._

_Only then may you have the means of returning home,'"_  Tetra recalled.

"Wait, didn't the first part go-" Aryll began to protest, but Tetra glared at her and she shut her mouth immediately.

"What I just said is word for word,  _right_  Aryll?" Tetra asked, her tone inferring that yes was the only acceptable answer.

"Yes! Sorry I was remembering a different riddle I heard somewhere else. What you said is right," Aryll replied quickly, nodding and turning her attention back to her food.

"Okay, well,  _search for your counterparts_  must mean search for your friends, and the next part sounds like you need to find me, which you already have, and Princess Zelda which is the princess of Hyrule. I don't really understand why he would tell you to find me and the princess specifically though." Link speculated. However, this piece of information  _did_  explain why Tetra had been spying earlier.

"I don't know. Maybe because he knew that you would be willing to help us," Tetra predicted, "What do you think the rest means?"

"Honestly, I'm not sure, but now I think I know why we need the princess," Link said sheepishly.

"Why?" Aryll wondered, tilting her head to the side, "Oh yeah! And you said Hyrule so you mean like in the stories right?"

"What stories?" Link wanted to know.

"Like the Hero of Time! That's my favorite story!" Aryll cried in elation, "Do you know it?"

"Yes, I know it," Link confirmed, "And we are talking about the same Hyrule."

"Really?" Aryll exclaimed. Then a look of confusion passed over her face, "But wait that-"

"Aryll, keep your mouth shut the adults are talking," Tetra snapped, cutting the little girl off mid-sentence, "So….you can take us to see the princess right? She could help us track down our friends too," Tetra said leaning back in her chair a bit and directing her question at Link.

Link snapped out of his own jumbled thoughts and back to the conversation, "It's not that simple. She's the Princess of Hyrule meaning she rules the whole kingdom. It's hard to get an audience with her since she's so busy. It could take anywhere from two days to two months with her crazy schedule. Even with my title it's still not definite."

"And what, pray tell, is your title?" Tetra inquired, rolling her eyes.

"Hero Chosen by the Gods," Link declared proudly.

"And they chose you why?" Tetra asked, quirking an eyebrow.

"Why don't you ask them that?" Link countered, "Anyway, the point is that it won't be easy to talk to the princess no matter who you are and what you've done."

"Well, if you're a hero like you say you are then she has to give you an audience. Did you save the land before, or is your title meaningless?" Tetra queried.

"It's not meaningless. I really did save the land and she knows that, but running a kingdom is still more important than taking time to talk with someone. She and I have sent letters back and forth, but that's been the most that we've done since we last saw each other about a year ago and we had to eventually stop because she became so busy," Link explained.

"What did you have to save the land from?" Aryll spoke up, daring a glance at Tetra as if to confirm that her question wouldn't cause her to be another target of Tetra's fury. When the other girl didn't make any move to defy her she tore her gaze away and focused on Link.

He was about to refuse to answer, but then thought better of it. If he appeared to be open about his information then maybe Tetra would open up more and he'd finally be able to get some answers about where she and Aryll came from. "About a year ago a strange twilight covered the whole land and I had to go around restoring the light," Link answered, making sure to include just enough information for them to get the gist of it. No one but Zelda and Midna knew about his ability to change into a wolf during his journey and he preferred to keep it that way.

To his dismay, Tetra remained silent, her arms crossed as if barricading any information and preventing it from coming out into the open. Link wondered why she was so guarded, but he knew that questioning her about it wouldn't help him know any sooner. After all, Midna had been the same way when he had first met her, and she began to gradually open up as they progressed through their quest. Hopefully the same thing would happen with Tetra.

"Still, it can't hurt to try," Tetra pointed out, returning to their former discussion about the princess.

"We can try," Link admitted, "I'm just not promising that it'll be quick."

"We can get to meet a princess?!" Aryll exclaimed, jumping up in excitement.

"Yes, now sit down before you knock something over," Tetra ordered and Aryll complied, the smile on her face unwavering.

"We'll have to wait until tomorrow though. Ilia has my horse and we'll need a horse if we're going to be traveling all the way to Castle Town," Link added.

"Who has your what?" Tetra asked, utterly confused.

"Ilia is my friend and a horse is a big animal that you can ride," Link explained as simply as he could. He had a feeling that when they found their friends that he would have to explain what a horse was again since, so far, Tetra and Aryll were both clueless about the animal's existence.

"Can't we go get your horse back from Ilia? This is really important!" Aryll pleaded.

"Alright, let me go get her. Do you want to come with or stay here?" Link asked, striding over to the door.

"I wanna go with you!" Aryll exclaimed, "Come on Tetra! Come with us!"

"Fine," Tetra sighed, standing up and allowing the little girl to drag her over to the door where Link was waiting patiently.

They left the house and descended the ladder. They were just about to step into the village when a voice shouted from behind them, "Mr. Link! WAAAAAIT!"

Startled by the sudden noise they all whirled around to find that the source was a gaunt-faced man dressed in a white and red uniform with a bunny symbol on his crimson hat and brown sandals on his feet.

He ran up to Link, handed him a letter, declared, "Onward to mail!" and then ran back the way he had come.

"Um…what the heck was that?" Tetra stated, speechless.

Link laughed, " _That_  was the postal service."

"Can't the postal service ever be normal?" Aryll whined.

"Describe normal Aryll and then it can be a possibility." Tetra told Aryll. The little girl opened her mouth to do just that but quickly closed it, realizing that she didn't know what to say. Meanwhile Link opened the envelope and slipped the letter out. He unfolded it and began to read:

_Hello Grasshopper_ ,

_It's been awhile hasn't it? I hope you're doing well. I feel bad asking this of you since you've already done so much for me, but recently I have made some new friends. There are three of them, and they are very nice. The problem is that they are looking for their companions, but they don't have any way to travel except for by foot. I was wondering if you would be willing to escort them where they need to go since I can't do it myself. I hope this letter reaches you as soon as possible and you make haste to Castle Town. Meet me in the garden._

_The Bug Princess, Agitha_

_"Three of them? Looking for their companions? Could it really be Tetra and Aryll's friends?"_  Link thought to himself,  _"If it is then that makes things a bit easier. Although it seems a little too good to be true._   _It couldn't hurt to check though."_ Link turned to the two girls at his side, "Small change of plans. I'm going to go to Castle Town by myself, wait let me finish," Link said, holding up a hand when Tetra opened her mouth to protest, "because this letter is from a friend of mine that says that she met 'three new friends' that are looking for their companions, and she needs me to go there to escort them wherever they need to go. I'm thinking that these 'three new friends' could be the ones that you're looking for."

"Could be," Tetra admitted, "but why do you have to go by yourself? Can't I come?"

"I'm not completely sure that it is them, and even if it is, there wouldn't be a lot of room. A horse can only carry so much weight. The more people it's carrying the slower it is. It'll go faster this way and while I'm in town I'll see if I can arrange an audience with the princess." Link explained, "If it is your friends then I'll bring them back here and we'll decide what to do next together."

"How will you know that you've even got the right people?" Tetra wondered.

"Simple. I'll just ask them if they are looking for two girls. One by the name of Tetra and the other Aryll," Link replied. He was ready for any excuse Tetra could concoct and throw at him. He wasn't going to allow her or Aryll to come with him outside of the village after that Bulblin attack. They were safer here.

"I can defend myself," Tetra stated as if she could read his thoughts.

"Yeah, because that worked so well last time," Link smirked.

She glared at him, her eyes crackling like blue fire, "You're asking for it. I'd watch where I step if I were you because you're on thin ice." Link wasn't scared or even a bit intimidated by her. He was older than her and besides that he had faced the wrath of countless monsters and even Ganondorf. This girl didn't strike fear into him at all. In fact, he found the whole display a bit comical.

"Look, my decision still stands. You two are staying here and I'm going to hand you both over to Ilia, so she can watch you." Link said calmly, beginning to walk into the village and towards the ranch.

"I'm fourteen! I don't need a babysitter! I can watch Aryll myself," Tetra retorted following him with Aryll in tow.

Somehow Link doubted that. "I never said anything about a babysitter," he defended himself.

"You said 'someone to watch you'. It's the same thing!" Tetra huffed, crossing her arms.

"What I meant was someone from the village that you could stay with until I get back. I don't know how long this will take exactly," Link amended. They reached the ranch and Link shouted for Ilia once again. He watched as his childhood friend stopped petting a goat and looked over her shoulder.

"Hey, Link!" Ilia called back, waving a greeting.

"Ilia, I need you to do me a favor!" Link yelled, returning the greeting with a wave of his own.

"Sure, what is it?" Ilia replied, coming over to the gate so they didn't have to shout at each other.

"I need to go to Castle Town and that means that I need-" Link began but Ilia cut him off by holding up her hand.

"Epona, right?" Ilia guessed a sly smile creeping onto her lips.

Link nodded, "Yes, and I also need you to err…keep track of these two," Link said, choosing his words carefully so as not to offend Tetra and gesturing to the two girls beside him.

"Hmm….okay I guess, but I can't just abandon Fado. He needs help with the goats," Ilia pointed out.

"That's okay, have them help you then," Link suggested. He could practically feel the daggers that Tetra was shooting at him at the moment.

"That's a great idea!" Ilia sighed, a look of relief on her face, "Let me go get Epona. Rounding up the goats later will be a bit more of a challenge without her but with all four of us it shouldn't be too bad." She then left to retrieve his red, white-maned mare from the barn.

When Epona was led out of the barn, Aryll rushed forward to see, hopping up onto the gate. "Is that a horse?" Aryll exclaimed, eyes shining in amazement.

"Yes, she's pretty isn't she?" Link responded smiling at the little girl's excitement.

"Very!" Aryll agreed, gazing at the animal in awe. Aryll hopped off of the gate as Ilia opened it just enough so she could lead Epona out. She closed the gate behind her just in time to stop a goat from escaping.

"Be careful, okay?" Ilia ordered looking straight into Link's eyes and seeming to search for a promise that he'd really be cautious.

"Of course I will, Ilia. I'll be back soon," Link promised. He then mounted Epona.

"Give me a ride sometime, please?" Aryll asked sweetly, clasping her hands together in a pleading manner.

"Sure. When I get back," Link replied, "The offer stands for you too you know." Link directed this last part at Tetra who just rolled her eyes and looked away. He honestly didn't expect her to be nice at this point. He was finding that once she was in a bad mood, she stayed in it for a while. Link waved one last goodbye before prompting Epona into a trot. They cantered out of the village and once they were across the wooden suspension bridge Link let her break out into a run and they were on their way to Castle Town, heading into goddesses only knows what.


	13. The Hero of Time?

The sun hung low, suspended in the air like a confused fairy, threatening to plunge into the earth and turning the sky a mixture of pink and pale blue.  _'Even the sunsets look a little different here,'_  Link noted. After lunch they had just sat around talking and exploring the garden with Agitha. Now as the sun was setting Link began to wish that they had something to do since it was basically just a waiting game. They had sent the letter and now relied on the Postman to get it to where they needed it to be. He had no idea how efficient the postal service was here since it just seemed to be one man on foot, but he supposed that it worked here somehow.

"Hmm…maybe you guys should come spend the night at my house," Agitha suggested peering at the sky also, "It's getting late and I'd feel bad to have you all sleep outside. I know that it doesn't look dangerous in the daytime, but one evening I saw these skeletal dogs come out of the ground. They didn't look too friendly. It'd probably be smart not to stick around in the garden after dark just in case."

"Skeletal dogs?" Medli repeated, not sounding completely sure that she believed the idea.

"Yup," Agitha confirmed bobbing her head up and down once, "Everyone in town is returning home right about now, so it shouldn't be too hard to sneak you two in."

"Okay, but how long do you think we should keep waiting here?" Link wondered.

"A little longer," Agitha replied, "I told him to meet me in the garden, but he may be stopping for the night if he's already on his way. Traveling at night isn't always the safest because it gets really dark, and it's hard to see much of anything. He will probably arrive in the morning."

Normally Link wasn't impatient, but at the moment he wished that the Hero of Time, if that's who he really was, would just get here already. Traveling at night on the ocean didn't stop any ships, or at least it never stopped him or the pirates, but he supposed that traveling on land with an animal would be a bit different.

They waited for another thirty minutes and by then the sky was almost completely void of light. Agitha seemed to be in a great hurry and rushed to pick up the picnic materials she had brought earlier. She acted as if they didn't get into town as quickly as possible then they would disappear along with the constantly fading light. Link and Medli helped her gather her things, and then they cautiously snuck into town with Agitha leading them.

Medli held Makar since he would make too much noise and draw unwanted attention from stragglers if he were to be allowed to walk. As Link surveyed the market area he realized that Agitha had been right. It had been so lively earlier, but now there were only a few people who all seemed to be oblivious to everything around them.

The foursome swiftly hurried out of the market area and turned into the side street that housed their destination. They made it into Agitha's quaint residence without any incident.

"Why do you have a tree in your house?" Medli wondered pointing to the large plant as if it wasn't obvious enough.

"The real question is why don't  _you_  have a tree in your house Medli." Makar chimed in.

"I don't have any need for a tree in my house," Medli replied, "That's why I'm wondering why she has one."

"I have that tree so the bugs feel more at home," Agitha explained, reaching up and allowing a butterfly to land on her outstretched hand.

"See? It makes sense! Everyone should have trees in their houses!" Makar exclaimed.

"Um…no I don't think they should. With you it makes sense since you're basically a tree yourself," Medli then turned around to face Agitha, "and have you always had that tree? Did you plan it out especially for the bugs you would collect someday?"

"Well, to be honest….I've never exactly planned to have it. It was in the house when I bought it. Maybe the owner before me also adored bugs, or they were a gardener. I'm not really sure because I never met the previous owner, but that's what I believe anyway." Agitha answered as the butterfly took to the air once again.

"Besides the tree, what else was in the house when you bought it?" Link asked from the other side of the room.

"Not much," Agitha shrugged, "Just the furniture. Everything else I put in myself." As Link looked around he noticed how many decorations there were. He hadn't had a chance to really take in the decor of her house before since he had only been rushed in and out, but now he had a chance to notice more. It was apparent that a child lived here. From the brightly colored lights that hung from the ceiling to the multicolored jars and books that were cradled in a bookcase, it was obvious that it had all been fabricated by the mind of a child. The stained glass windows gave the impression that they were in some sort of fancy palace. Actually, it looked like something out of one of Sturgeon's fantasy books that he used to adore so much and his sister still did.

Agitha then took the opportunity to show the trio around her home when she caught Link's wandering eyes. After showing and explaining every inch and item in her house she sat her guests down and put together a quick dinner for all of them.

As they ate it was silent. Everyone was lost in their own thoughts. Link wondered how Aryll and Tetra were doing. He hoped that they were okay and nothing too bad had transpired in the time that they had been apart in this very different world. According to Agitha, and from what he could gather from the map he had purchased earlier, Castle Town was the most populated area of Hyrule. There seemed to be some neighboring villages, but other than that there weren't many places that seemed to be inhabited. He hoped that they hadn't landed in the middle of nowhere. The distances looked short on the map, but in reality he estimated them to be about ten times bigger. That meant serious trouble for the girls if they had been dropped even farther out in that grassy wasteland than the others and himself had.

Link quickly pushed that thought out of his mind. He couldn't allow himself to think like that. They had probably landed where Medli had suggested earlier. If that was the case, then they were at least near civilization. ' _They must be fine. No. They are fine,'_ Link thought silently trying to convince himself that they were safe even though they weren't with him.

Before he knew it, they were finished dinner and in their temporary sleeping arrangement. Agitha slept up in the loft on her frilly canopy bed that looked as if it could belong to royalty, only adding to the dramatic fantasy feel of the house, while Makar was content with sleeping at the foot of the tree. There had been a big dispute between Medli and Link over who got the couch and who got the floor. Link wanted Medli to take the couch since she was a girl and deserved to be comfortable while Medli wished for Link to take it since she claimed that he never got to sleep in a comfortable place, unlike her. After much yelling and the near trampling of a beetle, they finally came to a compromise. Medli would take the couch while Link slept on the floor with the fluffy couch pillows. None of them realized quite how exhausted they had been for they were all out in a matter of seconds.

The next morning Link awoke to the sound of scuffling feet. He blinked away the fog that clouded his vision to see Agitha heading towards the door holding a parasol in her hands while her basket hung loosely on her left arm.

"Where are you going?" Link whispered so as not to wake the others who he knew were still fast asleep.

Agitha whirled around, "To the garden. I'm going to wait for Grasshopper to arrive. I'll bring him back here when he does and you can all meet each other," Agitha stated, flashing him a smile. Link didn't have time to formulate a response for the more energetic and awake girl turned on her heel and strolled out of the house without another word. Link couldn't believe how fast morning had come. It felt like he had just laid down. He forced himself completely out of the world of dreams and into reality. If Agitha's friend was already waiting at the garden, provided that he moved fast, then that meant that he'd be here soon and Link was barely awake, not to mention that his companions were dead to the world.

Link got to his feet and stretched in his last attempt to rid himself of sleep. Then he set to the task of waking his companions. He stepped carefully over the fence guarding the base of the tree, from what exactly was unclear, and nudged Makar to rouse him while being mindful of the bugs in close proximity. It was difficult to tell Makar's expression since the his leaf-made face was frozen in a permanent frown, like a mask that he couldn't take off.

"Link?" Makar yawned in his high pitched voice, "Why'd you wake me up?"

"Agitha went to go wait for our escort, and I'm not sure how long that will take. Just in case he moves quickly, we should all get up now," Link explained quickly, stepping back over the white guardians. Makar used his leaf propeller to fly over them instead of using Link's assistance.

Link strolled over to the couch and shook Medli's shoulder, "Medli wake up," he demanded. The Rito girl groaned to indicate her displeasure in him trying to awaken her from her slumber, but aside from that he received no other response. Sighing, he moved so he could grip both of her shoulders and shook her harder.

This seemed to work a little too well, and she awoke with a start, let out a squeal, and punched Link in the face. He reeled back and fell backwards onto the floor covering his throbbing jaw in his hands.

"Oh! Link, I'm so sorry!" Medli exclaimed, eyes wide and her face as red as Valoo's scales.

"Why did you do that?" Link asked, wincing when he moved his sore jaw to speak.

"I don't know! I was having a dream, and I was defenseless, and there was a monster, and I didn't have a weapon, so I was going to punch it, but then I guess you woke me up just as my dream self was doing that, and I ended up hitting you!" Medli rambled on in a rush, "Are you okay?" she wondered concern and guilt slipping off of her words similar to the way that one slips on ice.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Link nodded. It didn't seem broken since he could still talk. He had taken harder hits to his face before thanks to a certain pirate captain and her crew. Compared to that, this was trivial.

"Well, I guess that we know now that Medli isn't a morning person which is ironic since she's a bird," Makar commented.

"I am too a morning person!" Medli argued, "I'm just not very good with people waking me up."

"I'll keep that in mind for later," Link interjected, trying to rub the pain out of his jaw.

"I'm sorry!" Medli apologized once again bowing her head in shame.

"It's okay. It was an accident, but on the bright side, if you ever do really run into a monster then we know that you can throw a decent punch," Link replied, removing his hands from his face.

"Uh…thanks I guess, but I still feel bad for hitting you," Medli frowned, clearly still upset about the course of events that had just transpired. Link waved his hand, indicating that she should forget about the incident since it was over now, and he was fine.

Medli smiled apologetically one last time as if to signal the end of her lamenting period, and then changed the subject, "So where's Agitha?"

"She left. She went to the garden to wait for her friend that happens to share my name and looks, at least according to her anyway," Link supplied, changing his position on the ground, so he was more comfortable.

"She just left? Why didn't she wake us up and take us with her?" Medli wondered, seeming a bit insulted that they'd been left out of the trip.

"I don't know. Maybe she didn't want to wake us because we seemed tired," Link speculated.

"Still, we're the ones that need the help from this guy. She could at least let us wait for him together instead of making it complicated like this. Besides, we still need to get out of here and back to the garden. By the time she brings him back here all the people in town will be leaving their houses if they aren't already," Medli complained, using her hands to emphasize how dire the situation was.

"We'll figure it out," Link assured his friend, partially saying it to reassure himself as well. He wondered if it would really be a big deal if Medli and Makar were seen by other people in town. Agitha didn't react negatively to them, but then again, Agitha was a bouncing ball of energy and a child besides. Seeing an unfamiliar species like a Rito or a Korok wouldn't seem that strange to her. Instead, she'd be fascinated but at the same time accepting of them. She had said yesterday that the guards were still on edge. What could that mean? On edge from  _what_? Assuming that he was correct and their escort really was the Hero of Time, then maybe the hero had just banished the darkness recently, and that was the reason why the guards were being so cautious. It was a possibility.

As Link was lost in his thoughts he didn't hear the door open and close behind him. He was only pulled back into reality when Agitha put her gloved hands on his shoulders and exclaimed, "Hee hee! What are you doing on the floor? Come on, stand up!" She forced him to his feet, seeming a bit more peppy than usual, and turned him around to face the door where his emerald eyes fell on a teenager that had clothes similar to his and eyes that were a piercing blue color. The clothes were a bit of a darker green than his own, and he seemed to wear chain mail underneath. What was even more surprising than his clothes was his facial features. To Link, it looked like an older version of himself who's bewildered expression mirrored his own.

"See! I told you that you and Grasshopper looked alike!" Agitha proclaimed proudly as if proving her point had just earned her the title of Bug Queen. No one knew exactly what to say just then. The only one that didn't find the situation awkward was Agitha, and neither boy seemed to be able to tear their eyes away from the other.

"You both have the same name too!" Agitha added as if this piece of information would help everyone snap out of their shocked state. Link had expected this and was probably more prepared for the startling resemblance than the older boy was, but he still found himself stunned into silence. Maybe Medli had hit him a little too hard. He figured that the silence was dragging on too long and the longer they dawdled, the longer it would take for them to get closer to finding Aryll and Tetra.

This silent reminder invigorated him. He cleared his throat and began a bit nervously, "So, Agitha's informed you of the situation right?"

His talking seemed to snap the other boy out of his dumbfounded state, and he replied, "Yes, she has, and I might have some information that will help you find your lost companions."

"Really?" Link inquired, even more interested than before, "What is it?"

"Are you looking for two girls by the names of Tetra and Aryll?" the other asked.

Link's eyes widened. How did he know their names? Agitha couldn't have possibly mentioned them in her letter since he had never told her their names."Y-yes! That's exactly who we're looking for!" Link stuttered, stumbling over his words in excitement.

"In that case, I know where they are. At the moment they're at my home village, Ordon," the teenager informed them, "I can take you directly to them whenever you're ready."

Link was a bit taken aback that their educated guess had been right. It didn't really matter though. They were finally going to reunite with their missing friends!

"We're ready now!" Makar squealed in ecstasy from the ground, surprising their savior and causing him to drop his eyes to the floor to come to rest on Makar's hopping form.

"Yes, take us as soon as you can, please," Medli added, stepping up to stand beside Link. When she spoke the older boy's eyes turned on her. Link could tell that the teen was trying to think of what to make of the two unfamiliar races before him.

"I know that we're not really what you were probably expecting…" Link started trailing off.

"Uh…to tell the truth, not particularly," the elder boy laughed sheepishly.

"I'm not quite sure how to explain our resemblance, but I can explain my companions-" he attempted before Makar's high-pitched voice cut him off.

"We can speak for ourselves!" Makar cried indignantly.

"Err…right. Sorry," Link apologized backing down and letting his wooden companion take the spotlight.

"My name is Makar," the little Korok introduced himself, while the older boy stepped a bit closer to get a better look, "I'm part of a race called Koroks! We're the children of the forest and we are watched over by the Great Deku Tree. Every year we have a ceremony where I play my viola and a few select Koroks leave to spread the seeds that the Deku Tree produces."

"And my name's Medli," Medli bowed, drawing attention to herself and blushing slightly due to her shyness, "I'm a member of a race of people known as Rito. As you can see we're seen to most as half bird, half human. My tribe are messengers, sort of like your postman around here, except instead of running we fly."

"Interesting," the teen nodded, clearly intrigued by both of their descriptions of their species.

"Oh wow! You guys never told me all that! That's amazing! Makar, I bet you see lots of bugs in that forest you live in, and I wish I could fly! I had a dream that I could fly once, but I suppose that it's not the same thing." Agitha gushed, "Oh, but how can you fly without wings?"

"I have wings," Medli replied defensively, "You just can't see them."

"What good are wings that you can't see?" Agitha wondered.

Link jumped into the conversation before Medli could respond, knowing that whatever the girl beside him would say next wouldn't exactly be classified as polite, "Anyway, are the girls okay?"

"They're fine," the older boy confirmed. Link sighed in relief. He felt as if a heavy weight had just been lifted from his shoulders.

"If you're all ready to leave then we can go now," announced the teenager, taking a step back in the direction of the door.

"You're leaving already?" Agitha pouted, but the frown didn't stay on her face for long, "That's okay, just remember to visit, and don't be worried about the people out there," This she addressed to Medli and Makar, "It's still early so there aren't that many, but you should leave soon if you don't want to be caught in the morning crowd."

"Thanks," Link said acknowledging that he had heard and appreciated her advice.

"Let's go!" Makar exclaimed impatiently.

They made their way to the door and bid the bug obsessed girl farewell before stepping out into the street. Agitha had been right. Not a person or guard was in sight at the moment. The trio followed their slightly familiar escort out of the side street and into the small market area where a few shop owners were busy getting ready to sell their wares. To Link's relief, they didn't seem interested in a few passerby and didn't even spare them a glance.

When they stepped into the garden and made their way down the stone steps Link was surprised to see the big animal before him.  _'This must be a horse,'_  Link concluded in his head.

"What is that?" Makar wondered aloud from his place in Link's arms.

"She's my horse;her name's Epona," the owner of said animal answered shortly. They then spent the next few minutes petting the horse and letting her get to know their unfamiliar scent before anyone even got on the animal.

"Can we all fit?" Medli wondered, doubtful that Epona would be able to bear all of their weight combined.

"Don't worry, Epona is strong. She can carry all of us," the teen reassured her, "I think the best way to do this would be to have all of you in front of me, so who wants to get on first?"

"I will," Link volunteered, handing Makar to Medli. He followed the older boy, around to the side of the horse and was surprised when he was lifted up, as if he weighed absolutely nothing, onto what their escort had explained to them earlier was a saddle.

The position felt strange, but he didn't complain. His left hand began to burn and when he glanced down he noticed the Triforce symbol pulsing. Link quickly covered it with his other hand, hoping that no one else had noticed. No one had seemed to register his discomfort. His look-alike had turned away to help Medli get on. Before she was lifted up Medli passed Makar back to him. By then, his hand was normal again for which Link was grateful. The teenager sat Medli on the saddle a bit differently than he had Link, so she had both of her legs to one side instead of one leg on each. Lastly, their escort swung up behind them.

"Okay, I know that you guys have never ridden a horse before, so we'll start slow, and then we'll gradually get faster. You don't have to do anything. Just hold on, okay?" the older boy explained. Link and Medli both nodded to show that they understood. Epona was turned around and began to walk forward. Having an animal moving under you was very different from the way the ocean moved as Link was finding.

Their escort made the horse begin to trot which bounced them a little more in the saddle. He felt Medli tighten her grip slightly on his shoulders to keep her balance. He imagined that riding the way she was had to be harder than the way that he was positioned. There wasn't much conversation. Link, Medli, and Makar were too busy gazing at their surrounds and trying to stay on the strange animal. This time Link was taking into account the wind and noticing that it was almost nonexistent. He supposed that wind didn't matter here quite as much, if at all, since they had animals like Epona to carry them around. The fact that they naturally had animals that big and strong was amazing. The biggest animal he could think of from back home was the lone pig that now existed on his home island. It was certainly big enough to ride, but it'd be stupid to try, and there wouldn't be much of a point to it since it didn't move fast and the island wasn't excessively vast in the first place.

Without warning the horse that had previously been so calm made a noise that Link's ears registered as alarm. The great horse stopped in her tracks and stood up on her hind legs eliciting a yell of surprise from Link, who leaned forward to attempt to stay on the panicked animal, Medli gripping his shoulders hard, letting out a small frightened yelp of her own. Makar had wriggled out of Link's arms and flew up to safety which gave Link an idea. Medli seemed to have the same one and released his shoulders from her petrified grip. She flew up as quickly as was possible and Link grabbed onto her ankles, allowing himself to be lifted from the saddle and into the air. They glided a short distance away from the horse, Medli struggling to keep them both airborne, and landed on the rough grass in a heap. Makar plopped down beside them. Link quickly got to his feet and whirled around to see what had happened to the other boy. The horse still seemed skittish and was prancing a little ways away shaking her head as if she was confused by her previous actions.

The other boy was just sitting up from the ground, shaking his head as if to clear it. Link assumed that when the animal had reared, he had been flung from the saddle instantly and onto the ground. Link hoped he was okay and was about to go over to check when Medli exclaimed, "Link, lookout!"

He turned back around to see two lizard-like creatures. They had dark green and red scales and yellowish stomachs. They were both at least a head taller than him with glassy yellow eyes and long snake-like tongues. The closest foe boasted a gleaming silver machete in its right hand. Armor made of some type of metal covered its left hand up to its elbow. Dangerous looking spikes were positioned on the end of its tail, clearly there for more than just a menacing fashion statement. The second enemy had the same features except it wore its armor on the opposite arm and held its weapon in its left hand instead. Link rolled out of the way as the nearest once attempted to strike him with its weapon. He drew his sword and shield, ordering Medli and Makar to get back. They both complied, more than happy to stay out of a battle.

Link focused on searching for a weak point. He made a half-hearted slash at the nearest monster's side. It used its right hand armor as a shield and Link's sword bounced right off. He then tried attacking on the other side to see what the creature would do to defend itself. He got his answer when metal clanged on metal. Link removed his weapon, not wanting to take any gambits and get his sword locked into his enemy's. As his last experiment Link aimed for the back of the monster and was almost sent flying by the tail but jumped over it and got out of range just in time.

His experimenting now complete, Link had a plan. He twirled his sword in his hand and charged the first monster acting as if he was going to strike its front. The lizard-like creature sneered at him and blocked Link's attack by placing its armor arm and sword in an x formation across its chest, thus ignorantly falling into Link's trap. He leaped up into the air and flipped over its head with his sword extended, successfully slicing the creature's head and causing it to screech in pain and annoyance that it had been tricked.

Refusing to be misled again, the creature decided to lash out at Link who had just landed and was about to try the same trick with its partner in crime. The monster whipped its tail around so fast that Link didn't have any time to react and he was sent flying through the air. "Okay, I didn't see that one coming," Link muttered to himself as he picked himself up carefully from the ground. The monsters were swifter than he realized. He has to be more careful. Nothing seemed broken. Thankfully the over-sized lizard's tail spikes had missed him, but regardless, its tail was still powerful enough to leave a bruise or two.

Link used his shield to block the next two attacks that assailed him and then thrust forward with his sword, catching the one monster off guard and striking its stomach, sending it stumbling backwards. He then angled his body so he was facing the next enemy. He side jumped out of the way as it brought down its machete in a clumsy attempt to split him in two, and Link took advantage of the opening that the monster had conveniently left for him. The lizard-like monster broke contact after Link was able to land three or four decent hits.

He back flipped out of the way of the next attack and tried to strike its exposed side, but he wasn't fast enough and it leaped out of range of his sword. Link bit his lip in frustration and charged the weakest one, or at least it should have been the weakest one if he had been keeping track of them correctly. He jumped up and flipped over its head from behind, while narrowly dodging its tail that it was using as a whip. The monster screamed in its dying breath and Link glanced over his shoulder just in time to see it dissipate into thick black vapor that faded quickly into nothing, leaving no sign that the creature had ever even existed.

The remaining monster didn't seem to be too happy about its buddy's demise. It let out a throaty growl to show its displeasure and charged Link once again. He turned his full attention on this single enemy, knowing that with one monster out of the picture this could only get easier as long as he didn't make any foolish mistakes. The lizard-like being used its armor covered arm as an offense rather than a defense and almost nailed Link in the jaw with an upper cut. Link just barely avoided the new move which seemed to infuriate the creature even more, like a spoiled child that kept being denied a toy.

Link reverted back to his original plan of attack, but the lizard-like warrior had seen this coming and raised its metal coated arm to deflect the now predictable move thus protecting itself from Link's sharp blade. Once Link landed back on his feet he spun around and held up his shield just in time as the monster used its curved weapon to try to land a decent hit on the young boy. To Link's surprise, the creature didn't stop once its weapon connected with his shield. Instead, it kept bombarding him with attack after attack. If it kept this up, Link wouldn't be able to keep his shield in the correct defensive position. He could already feel his right arm getting weaker with each hit as the shock was absorbed by the shield and reflected into his arm.

That's when he noticed that the monster's large form was blocking out the sun. If he could just angle the shield correctly then the light would be able to reflect off of his mirror shield and into his assailant's beady eyes. Link shifted his position slightly, nearly falling over by the force of the creature's next attack. He gritted his teeth and kept going slowly getting his lizard resembling foe to move out of the way so the sun could shine its blinding rays on his shield. Almost...but not yet. He inched a little further to his left and…there! Link tilted his mirror shield up and to the right slightly. His aim was immaculate. His enemy screeched and covered its eyes in an attempt to spare them from the harsh light that was reflecting off of Link's defensive weapon. He lowered his shield and took the opportunity to hack and slash at the monster's exposed stomach for all he was worth. It let out a gargled cry before disappearing in the same shadow-like substance as the other creature. Link relaxed his tensed posture and let out a breath of air he hadn't even realized he'd been holding.

"Link! Are you alright?" Medli asked running over with Makar in her arms and their escort on her heels.

"I'm fine," Link replied, sheathing his weapon and replacing his shield on his back, trying to slow his breathing. That fight had been more intense than he'd anticipated.

"Sorry I didn't help. First I was knocked off of Epona and by the time I was able to stand back up and calm Epona down I witnessed you slay one of those Lizalfos. I was kind of shocked that you could fight so well. I meant to help you, but I guess I ended up just watching," the elder boy admitted.

"That's okay, it wasn't that hard," Link waved it off not wanting to dwell on the subject, "I'm just wondering what they were doing all the way out here. I mean….Medli, Makar, and I were out here before and we didn't run into any threats. I find it strange that there'd be monsters walking around now."

"I'm not sure either. We should get going though, just in case more decide to show up," the older boy urged them, leading them back toward the horse that was now calm as if nothing had happened.

"She won't rear up like that again right?" Medli wondered, worry creasing her brow.

"No, I think she'll be fine as long as no monsters spook her like that again," came the reply from their escort. He helped Medli get on and then mounted the horse himself. They then continued on their way to Ordon Village praying for no more precarious interruptions and with Link reminding himself that with each step that the noble animal beneath him took, brought him closer and closer to seeing the familiar faces of his lost companions. There was still one question he didn't yet have answered and was reluctant to ask. Were they really traveling with the Hero of Time or was the kind teenage boy directing the horse someone else entirely? At first he had been positive that his prediction had been correct, but as time went on he became more and more unsure. Link decided right then as he sat atop Epona, a creature he felt that he should know but didn't, that once they were reunited with their friends he would ask the question. For now though, he'd keep it locked away in his mind, ready to use when the time was right.


	14. Too Many Links of Defiance

Secluded behind the many branches, leaves, and underbrush of Faron Woods, laid the quiet village of Ordon, and in this village a young girl sulked, sitting and gazing out a window as the first rays of morning peeked out from behind the trees. This window happened to belong to the house of the mayor who had kindly agreed to allow Tetra and Aryll to stay the night once he learned that his daughter had been put in charge of them temporarily. Everyone within the house was fast asleep, except for Tetra of course. She was quite used to waking up extra early in the morning, and it had become automatic after numerous years of doing so. Usually, she'd awaken to the cry of seagulls and the slap of waves striking the side of her ship. Waking up to the chirping of birds and the rustling of treetops didn't feel natural. Even the sunrise looked different from home, something she thought would stay the same no matter where she was.

Tetra let out a quiet sigh of exasperation. She knew that they needed Link's help if they were to ever return home to their ocean, but at the moment she wondered if she could tolerate his presence. He irked her. He acted as if she was just a mere child and knew nothing. She was far from a child. That title had been severed from her name when her mother had died and became official when she took on the task of finding New Hyrule. Tetra agreed that she was many things, but a child was not one of them. She'd lost that innocence years ago.

Overall, yesterday hadn't been that bad, especially since she refused to do many of the tasks handed to her. The only time she recalled helping was at the end of the day when they had to get all of the animals, which were apparently called goats, into the barn for the night. The animals were more stubborn than she'd expected, and so it took a lot of yelling and running around to get them all where they belonged. The only reason why she had even agreed to helping was because her normal everyday job entailed much yelling and screaming and giving orders. While the goats didn't compare to her crew, she hoped that yelling like usual would help her mood improve.

She supposed that it had since she hadn't snapped at anyone last night. To her surprise, she'd even managed to keep her cool when they were eating dinner and Aryll had knocked a glass off of the table, thus shattering it into pieces and spilling milk all over the floor. She had apologized for Aryll's clumsiness and cleaned up the mess herself which wasn't like her, but Ilia and her father wouldn't know anything about that. Aryll had noticed her odd behavior but dropped it after an hour or two for which Tetra was grateful. The little girl could be extremely annoying at times.

Tetra was growing impatient. She hated waiting. Normally, she wouldn't be fazed by it, but ever since that incident a little over a year ago when she had been forced to wait under the waves by herself, she couldn't stand just sitting around. It made her feel exposed. Even though she had a weapon now and she wasn't alone in the room, it still didn't quench her anxiety.

"Hey….Tetra, what are you doing?" Aryll yawned. Tetra turned her head slightly so she could see the bed. The little girl sat there rubbing her eyes.

"I'm just looking," Tetra replied returning her gaze to the window which she thought would be more appropriate for a castle.

"Looking at what?" Aryll wondered. She hopped off of the bed and climbed up onto the window seat that Tetra was sitting on.

"The sun," Tetra answered shortly.

"My grandma says not to look at the sun too long. You could go blind," Aryll warned the young pirate.

Tetra shot a glare at Aryll, "That's not what I meant idiot!" Tetra sighed then, lowering her voice and turning back to the window she muttered, "I'm watching the sunrise."

"You don't have to be so mean!" Aryll pouted, propping herself up against the wall and stretching her legs out in front of her. Tetra didn't respond and continued to stare out the window.

"Do you think Big Brother and the others are okay?" Aryll asked in a small voice.

"They're fine," Tetra said without tearing her gaze from the glass.

"How do you know?" Aryll queried, tilting her head to the side.

"I just do," Tetra sighed, becoming agitated. Why did little kids have to question everything?

"Oh…" Aryll trailed off turning her attention to the window as well. It was silent for a few seconds before Aryll spoke up again, "Um, do you think that maybe…when we get home can I…..come with you and Big Brother? Please?"

Tetra was surprised at the request. Why would she ask to come along now? The answer was obviously no. It was too dangerous and there was no telling when they would find what they're looking for. "No," Tetra stated, "You're not coming. Just because this happened doesn't mean that you have any more reason to come with us. If anything it enforces the reasons why you  _shouldn't_ come with us."

"No fair!" Aryll exclaimed, "I want to come with! You and Big Brother left me behind last time! When we get home this time you can't leave me behind again!"

"We can, and we will," Tetra shot back turning to face the younger girl, "and stop being so loud. You'll wake everyone downstairs."

"I don't even know what you're looking for. What's so important anyway? Why can't I help?" Aryll wondered, lowering her voice to a whisper.

"Are you always like this in the morning?" Tetra questioned, raising her eyebrows.

"Always like what?" Aryll asked, confused.

"Always annoying and full of questions," Tetra supplied stretching her arms over her head.

"Hey! I'm not annoying!" Aryll defended, "You're just moody."

"That's true, and moody people don't enjoy playing twenty questions so shut up," Tetra ordered.

"Okay, fine. I'll just ask Big Brother when he gets here," Aryll shrugged nonchalantly.

"You'll do no such thing. Listen Aryll, you have to be careful what you say here. This place isn't like home," Tetra said seriously.

"Why?" Aryll inquired innocently.

"Remember when we were talking to Link and then Hyrule was mentioned?" Tetra began. Aryll nodded and the pirate captain continued, "Well, we really are in Hyrule. Even though the Hero of Time was a story, it was a true story and so there once really was a Hyrule."

"But if Hyrule doesn't exist anymore then how are we here?" Aryll interrupted.

"I was getting to that. Let me finish talking before you start asking questions," Tetra huffed, exasperated.

"Sorry," Aryll apologized, "I'll be quiet now."

"As I was saying, I think that when we got teleported we somehow ended up in the past. At first I thought that we were possibly sent back before the time of the legendary hero, but it seems that Link already knows about him which is strange. He couldn't know about the Hero of Time because that would require him to be able to see into the future and he can't. Since that's the case, if he knows the legend and he isn't the Hero of Time then there must have been some hero that came immediately after the Hero of Time which would be Link. The point is, that the people here can't know that we come from the future. No talking about the Great Sea, boats, pirate ships, beaches, seagulls, islands, or anything else pertaining to our home, and most importantly, no talking about how Hyrule doesn't exist or was flooded. That'll only lead us into more trouble."

"I…uh…kind of already mentioned seagulls," Aryll replied, a guilty look on her face.

"YOU WHAT!" Tetra exclaimed forgetting to be quiet and covering her mouth with her hands as if this gesture would take back her loud outburst. Both girls listened and didn't dare to move a muscle. After a minute of suspense Tetra lowered her hands to rest in her lap. She didn't hear any noises that indicated that someone had awoken downstairs. That was something that she had noticed about the other inhabitants of Ordon. They all had rounded ears instead of pointed. Maybe that affected their hearing? Either way, she was thankful for it. She didn't need Ilia or the mayor awake at the moment. She had important things to discuss with Aryll.

Tetra took a deep breath to calm herself before speaking again, "Why would you mention seagulls? Did he question you?"

"I mentioned them because he asked about my telescope and no. He didn't ask any questions," Aryll answered truthfully.

Tetra let out a sigh of relief. She was glad that it hadn't been a major issue, but she suspected that Link was curious even though he didn't say anything about it. They would have to be more careful. "That's fine then," Tetra nodded, "but don't talk about it anymore. Don't talk about your family or anyone's title."

"Title? Like, yours is pirate captain?" Aryll asked.

"Yes, don't say that or even mention pirates around Link or anyone else from here. Got it?" Tetra confirmed.

Aryll nodded to show that she understood. Silence fell between the two like a sheet. Aryll lifted it when she spoke, "Hey, do pirates like making deals?"

"Yeah, why do you ask?" Tetra queried skeptical of what the little girl sitting across from her was planning.

"Well, how about we make a deal," Aryll suggested, moving into a more comfortable position.

"What kind of deal?" Tetra inquired, suspicion never leaving her eyes.

"If I can pass whatever pirate test you want to give me, then you have to take me along on your quest when we get home. If not, then you can leave me again. Deal?" Aryll questioned, sticking out a hand for the pirate captain to take.

"The test can be anything?" Tetra checked.

"Yup," Aryll smiled, her hand unwavering.

"Fine, you got yourself a deal," Tetra said, accepting Aryll's outstretched hand by grasping it in her own, "I just hope you know what you're getting yourself into. We haven't shook to seal the deal yet. Are you sure you want to do this?"

"Positive," Aryll replied narrowing her eyes to show just how serious she was. The two girls then shook hands and broke contact. Tetra contemplated all the tasks and challenges she could pose to her younger companion. It couldn't be anything too harsh or dangerous since she was supposed to be protecting Aryll and not putting her in harm's way. It also had to be something that could be done in the village and doable but nearly impossible.

"So, when do we start?" Aryll wondered, eager to begin and prove herself.

"Right now, come on," Tetra smirked getting up and hopping off of the window seat. Aryll slid off too.

"Get your telescope and put your shoes on," Tetra instructed as she shrugged on her blue vest and began to slip her own sandals on her feet. Aryll complied right away, not wasting a moment. Tetra affixed her wallet and dagger back onto her waist and then grabbed Aryll's wrist, putting a finger to her lips as a signal to the other girl to be quiet. Aryll copied the gesture with her free hand, to display her comprehension. The two girls crept down the stairs while being mindful of where they stepped. Thankfully, the steps didn't seem to be that old and were quiet for the most part. When they made it to the bottom of the stairs Tetra stole a glance at the bed where she knew Ilia was sleeping. The teenage girl was fast asleep and didn't show any signs of waking anytime soon.

_"Good,"_  Tetra thought smiling to herself,  _"Let's hope she stays like that for a while."_

The two slipped out of the house unnoticed and Tetra led Aryll far enough away from the building that they could talk in private.

"Alright, this test is going to have multiple parts to it. If you pass all of the challenges I give you here, then I'll let you try Niko's obstacle course at home. Keep in mind that if you fail even one challenge here, you can't try the second part. If you do, by some miracle, manage to complete the first part of the challenge then you would move onto part two once we get home, but you'd have to pass that also. If you fail the second part then you fail the test," Tetra explained, hands on hips.

"Why does it have to be so complicated?" Aryll complained.

"You're lucky I'm giving you a chance at all, and besides, the deal was I get to test you in any way I see fit. You should've known that it wouldn't be simple so stop complaining and deal with it. If you don't like it and want to back down then you automatically lose," Tetra chastised her companion.

"No! I'll do it!" Aryll cried in a rush, not wishing to be disqualified before the test even started.

"Good," Tetra nodded in approval, crossing her arms over her chest, "Your first test is to…get up there," Tetra announced pointing to the purple tinged roof of Sera's shop across the bridge.

"Um…okay…" Aryll said, a bit hesitant.

"Wait, I wasn't finished. You have to get up there using….a cucco," Tetra added indicating the animal that was minding its own business a little ways away from the pair.

"You're not serious," Aryll pleaded.

"Of course I am. You play with seagulls all the time. I would think that you'd be happy to fly," Tetra sneered.

"Cuccos don't fly; they glide, and you have to jump to make them carry you. There isn't a place high enough for me to jump and land on the roof," Aryll explained.

"That's your problem, now either get going or I'll assume that you quit," Tetra commanded.

"I don't quit!" Aryll insisted. Tetra just gestured to the cucco nearby as if to say, 'Well? I'm waiting.'

Aryll handed her telescope over to Tetra and marched up to the cucco determined to complete her mission. As soon as she reached down to catch the animal however, it hopped out of the way in a flurry of feathers. Aryll put her hands down just in time to prevent herself from falling over. Tetra watched with amusement as she witnessed the younger girl's attempts to capture the cucco.

"Is…there a…..trick to it?" Aryll panted, plopping down on the ground after at least ten failed attempts to capture the bird and looking to Tetra for advice. The pirate captain, however, had none to give, and settled for shrugging her shoulders in a casual fashion.

Aryll jumped to her feet. "I will do it this time!" the child declared defiantly. With those few words she got back on the ground to try a different tactic. She crawled up to the animal who was mindlessly pecking the ground, probably delving for food was Tetra's guess, and pounced on it, successfully preventing escape. The cucco flailed, feathers falling down like rain, as Aryll lifted it over her head in a more comfortable position.

"Hee hee! Look Tetra! I-" Aryll paused to readjust her grip on the panicked bird, "got it!"

"That's isn't your goal. Stop messing around, and find a way to get on that roof," Tetra glowered refusing to praise an accomplishment so minuscule.

Aryll's beaming face dimmed a little at her words, but her determination still stood tall and unwavering. Tetra watched as the little girl ran across the small wooden bridge with cucco in hand and made her way towards the side of a house that appeared to be built into half of a tree. That's what it looked like from her angle anyway. For all she knew the house could have been constructed just underneath the tree.

Aryll made her way up the slope to higher ground. She positioned herself so she was facing her destination and then jumped. As she drew closer it became apparent that she wasn't going to make it. She was too low which was exactly what Tetra had been hoping for. When Aryll touched down on the ground a few feet away from the house. Tetra watched as she ran back to the slope to try again. This time the child, with some difficulty, climbed up onto a narrow piece of the tree and climbed up even higher.

Tetra was impressed that Aryll hadn't given up on it after her first attempt failed, but she supposed it was to be expected. Aryll is Link's little sister after all, so she obviously shares the same sort of defiance and determination as her brother, which wasn't necessarily a bad thing, but it didn't make Tetra's job any easier.

When Aryll leaped off this time she had a better height advantage and managed to land on the goal that Tetra had set for her. Tetra ran over the bridge to meet the little girl and help her get down since she had dropped the cucco in her euphoria.

"Jump to those and climb down these vines," Tetra instructed pointing to the fragments of land that were reaching toward the sky, acting as natural platforms. Aryll followed her companion's instructions and was on the ground and ready to receive her next task in less than a minute.

"So? How'd I do? Did you see how high I flew?!" Aryll cried, seeking Tetra's elusive praise.

"Yeah yeah, you did okay," Tetra waved her hand dismissively, "Are you ready for your next challenge?"

Realizing that this was all the praise that she was going to earn from the pirate, Aryll replied with enthusiasm, "Yes! What is it?"

"There are targets set up near Link's house. You have to knock them all down," Tetra announced, beginning to head for the next challenge destination.

"What? That's it? Knock them down? There's no crazy rules like using blades of grass or water?" Aryll wondered, jogging to catch up with Tetra.

Tetra stopped in her tracks, "Yes, that's it. Why would I ask you to use grass or water to knock them down?" Tetra asked, confused.

"I don't know. After the last challenge I wasn't so sure. You had me use a cucco when all I had to do was climb up some vines and jump," Aryll pointed out.

"Well I had to make it challenging somehow!" Tetra exclaimed, annoyed with the child beside her, "For you, knocking anything down is challenging enough."

"Oh…" Aryll trailed off and they began walking again. Then after a few seconds she realized that it was an insult, "Hey! What's that supposed to mean?"

"What do you think?" Tetra retorted, "It doesn't matter, we're here. Now get to knocking things down."

Aryll dropped the matter knowing that she had no hope of winning against Tetra and silently assessed the task she was to complete. There were a total of five targets. Tetra leaned against the ladder leading up to the porch of Link's house as she watched Aryll look over her new challenge.

"Do you have arrows or something that will make this easier for me?" Aryll inquired, turning to Tetra who replied with a shake of her head.

After ten minutes of pondering and throwing rocks that fell too short Aryll came to the conclusion that she would have to physically climb up to where each target was located and use her hands to hit them down. Tetra found this mirthful seeing as the small rocky ledge that separated Aryll from the targets was mostly smooth so finding hand and footholds was difficult. If Aryll had been taller and stronger she could have grabbed the edge and hoisted herself up onto the vegetation that grew there. Since she was small it took Aryll another ten to fifteen minutes to get up onto the ledge. Knocking down the lower targets didn't take long, but the targets set up high in trees was more challenging. Even so, this did not deter the child's determination and she found a way to knock them all down after a good half hour.

Tetra frowned. If Aryll kept succeeding then she'd lose and she couldn't accept defeat in this matter. She had to come up with something Aryll would never do, and to make sure she had to be certain that it was something that her brother also wouldn't do unless it was life or death. As Aryll made her way back Tetra bowed her head in thought and the perfect "challenge" came to her. She couldn't believe that she hadn't thought of it before! The task itself was simple, but it tested moral.

"Okay Aryll, are you ready for your final challenge?" Tetra asked, lifting her head up and looking straight into Aryll's eyes.

"Bring it on!" Aryll exclaimed, eager to get on with the test after her two victories.

"So eager aren't we?" Tetra teased, "You don't even know what it is."

"Come on! Tell me!" begged Aryll.

Tetra shrugged, "Okay, this one is simple. All you have to do is go into Link's house, go into his basement, I'm sure he has one somewhere, take any rupees you can find stored there, and bring it back to me."

"Wait…why? Link's helping us and stealing is wrong besides," Aryll objected.

_"Got her,"_  Tetra smirked to herself, " _Now all I have to do is reel her in."_

"So, you're saying that you won't do it?" Tetra feigned shock.

"N-no…Aryll stuttered but changed her answer after Tetra smiled in success, "Well, maybe…but…it's-I…."

"Where did all of that eagerness run off to?" Tetra wondered, looking around as if she could spot the fleeing emotion if she looked hard enough.

"Well, it's just…uh, how do you know he even has any money in his basement?" Aryll questioned attempting to drag out the topic and talk Tetra into changing her final task.

"Well, I know that you and your brother have, or at least had, one hundred rupees hidden under your porch and since Link is the counterpart of your brother then he must also have something of value stashed in the earth," Tetra reasoned.

"How did you know about that money? It was a secret! Big Brother and I were given that when we were little and we hid it there so one day when we gathered enough rupees we could go off on an adventure of our own, and you're telling me that Big Brother took it?!" Aryll cried, upset.

"Of course he took it. Right before his whole adventure started to find you I saw him crawl under his porch and come out with an orange rupee in his hand. He tried to put it away as quickly as possible, but I had seen it anyway. At the time, I figured that I'd be nice and let him keep it. Turns out he used it to buy a sail and without that sail he would have never been able to continue traveling to get you back, so stop whining. In case you haven't noticed, Aryll, things have changed since that day. Whatever you two were planning to do with the money doesn't matter now. Those plans no longer exist. Besides, we're on an adventure now, aren't we?" Tetra explained, not caring how harsh her words sounded because they were the truth.

"How do you know that the plans don't exist anymore? Big Brother said that one day he would come back for me and we'd leave Outset together," Aryll argued.

"Look Aryll," Tetra sighed. This was getting off topic and she didn't need Aryll to start crying because her brother's words don't mean what she thinks they do. "Are you going to do it or not? I'm not changing the challenge, so either accept it and do it or say no and walk away."

"No, I won't do it," Aryll answered.

Tetra smiled inwardly and handed Aryll her telescope back. "Good then," Tetra nodded her approval, "However, I've no qualms about taking it myself."

"What?!" Aryll cried, "You're just going to take it? Why?"

"That's what I just said, didn't I?" Tetra replied nonchalantly, beginning to climb the ladder, "I'm a pirate. Do you need any other reason?"

"I'll tell," Aryll threatened, head held high.

"No, you won't," Tetra laughed, "Unless you want your big brother to never come back for you when we find what we're looking for that is. I can make that happen you know."

Aryll was scared into silence. "Come on," Tetra called over her shoulder, "even though you're not doing anything I still need you with me." The little girl wordlessly climbed up after Tetra and they entered the house together. Tetra immediately made her way to the right side of the house since she knew that what she was looking for wasn't on the left. She came to a ladder leading down into the dark. Now all she needed was a light source.

Tetra walked over to the fireplace and lit the tip of a piece of fire wood so it acted as a temporary torch. She ordered Aryll to stay put and descended the ladder. Once she hit the bottom she raised her torch to chase away the darkness that filled the room like spilled ink. She spotted a treasure chest in the back of the room and hurried over to it. She opened the lid with one hand and reached inside, being awarded with a rupee. The exact color was hard to tell in the feeble light.

Tetra closed the chest so it appeared as if it had never been touched and ascended the ladder. When she reached the top she blew out the fire and looked at the rupee in her hand. It was purple. " _Fifty rupees huh? Not bad,"_ Tetra thought to herself, stowing it away in her wallet.

"How much?" Aryll wanted to know.

"Fifty," Tetra replied, placing the firewood in her hand into the fireplace.

"You should put it back," Aryll advised.

"Nah, I don't think I will. After all, if you want something then you wouldn't just leave it in an unlocked treasure chest. If he really valued it, then he'd have the sense to lock it and keep the key with him. Same goes for all other people I take stuff from, so it's not really stealing, it's finding. Finders keepers, right? It's not like his name is engraved into it or anything."

"Still, it's his house. So everything in it must belong to him," Aryll asserted.

"Oh well, this will teach him to install some locks. See? Everyone wins. I get money and he learns a lesson," Tetra declared, pushing past Aryll and heading for the door. The pair made their way out of Link's house and back to Ilia's. By now there were villagers up and going about their daily business. Ilia was just coming out of her house, a look of worry painted onto her delicate features. When she spotted the two girls she hurried over.

"Where were you two? I woke up and made breakfast. Then I went to go wake you two up and found you gone! My father and I searched the whole house, but we couldn't find either of you, and I just stepped out to ask around the village," Ilia explained glancing between the two girls.

"We were playing around the village," Aryll answered, rocking back and forth on her heels.

Tetra nodded in agreement, "I was watching her the whole time."

"Alright then, but next time please tell me where you're going so I know where to find you," Ilia requested, "Let's go back to my house. I imagine that you two didn't have anything to eat yet?"

They both shook their heads and began to follow Ilia back to her house. As they walked Tetra wondered why Ilia was making such a big deal out of their absence. She didn't think that they would actually try to leave Ordon, did she? There wouldn't be a point. Link was out possibly retrieving their companions right now so the two of them leaving wouldn't accomplish anything. Tetra also didn't see why they had to pass what they were doing by Ilia first. If she wanted to do something, she did it. No interrogations first _. ‘She was probably just worried for her own skin,’_  Tetra concluded, ‘ _If Link came home and we weren't around he would probably be mad at her for losing track of us.’_

They entered the house where they were greeted by Ilia's father in much the same fashion as Ilia and then sat down to eat a breakfast of eggs and toast with pumpkin preserves. Pumpkin seemed to be a theme here as Tetra was beginning to notice. After they ate Ilia allowed them to leave the house but accompanied them then officially introduced Aryll and Tetra to the other village kids. They were then taken to the front yard of Link's house where there was a scarecrow set up that the boys liked to practice on. No one questioned the fallen targets and Ilia set them up again without a word. Tetra noted how it took her less time to set them up than it did for Aryll to knock them down. Ilia and Tetra then watched the boys swing around their sticks and wooden swords while Aryll and Beth played with Beth's doll a safe distance away.

Malo preferred to observe instead of participate. Talo acted big and tough as if he knew what he was doing which, by his performance, he clearly didn't. Colin, however, had some sort of skill with a sword. His stance was off a bit and he needed to loosen his grip and tense up his posture. Other than that he was doing fine for a kid around Aryll's age.

She viewed the children's skills for a while, making mental notes in her head. By the time that Talo had failed to successfully complete the jump attack for the tenth time, Tetra was fed up. Did they learn nothing from their mistakes?

"You're doing it wrong," Tetra informed the children, hands on hips.

"Oh yeah? And what do you know? You're just a girl. Girls can't fight," Talo taunted, twirling his stick around in his hand as if it somehow made him superior.

Infuriated by that remark Tetra stomped over to Talo, "Listen, you little brat, I know more about fighting than you do. I bet you've never taken down a single monster and unlike you, I have a real weapon, but I wouldn't have to use it to split that scarecrow down the middle!"

"Okay fine," Talo shrugged, "If you can do it then prove it. Use Colin's wooden sword. I bet you can't; girls are all talk."

"Not this girl," Tetra retorted, accepting the sword that Colin wordlessly handed to her. Talo and the other boys stepped to the side to give her some room and Tetra took a few practice swings to get used to the feel and the weight of the sword in her right hand. Then she backed up a little, and leaped forward bringing the sword up and back as she was in the air and down hard as she landed. The makeshift helmet that the scarecrow had been wearing was split in two by the force of her attack, as well as the pumpkin itself. She whirled around and twirled the sword in a much more impressing fashion than Talo had.

"And that, is what will happen to your skull if you ever mess with me. I hope you took notes," Tetra proclaimed tossing the sword back to Colin who caught it. Talo just gaped at her in shock while Malo still showed no sign of showing any real emotion which was starting to creep her out.

"Nice one, Tetra," Ilia clapped from the sidelines. Tetra nodded her thanks.

"Could you help me with the other moves?" Colin asked just as she was about to head back to her former viewing spot. She was about to say no, but then changed her mind. She had nothing to do anyway, and she didn't mind helping him since he actually had some hope of learning how to correctly wield a sword.

For the next hour Tetra helped Colin practice the basic moves and sword techniques. He actually improved some so she couldn't have been  _that_  bad of a teacher. By that time it was afternoon and the sun had just reached its peak in the sky. Beth and the other children had just excused themselves and headed for home to eat lunch. Ilia suggested that they do the same. Tetra and Aryll were about to follow when they heard the pounding of hooves on the ground. They turned around to see nothing but the sound was steadily getting louder.

"Come on guys," Ilia prompted them.

"Wait, I hear something," Tetra protested.

"Me too," Aryll agreed. A few seconds later Epona and her riders popped into view. Tetra eyes widened when she saw her Link sitting up front with Medli and Makar behind him. She almost didn't believe that it was really them.

"Big Brother!" exclaimed Aryll running up to the horse who was just slowing to a stop.

The teen dismounted and helped Medli, Makar, and Link down as quickly as possible so Aryll didn't have to wait a second longer than she had to. As soon as Link touched solid ground Aryll tackled him in a hug.

"I'm so glad to see you!" Aryll cried as Link picked her up and swung her around.

"How are you? Tetra give you any trouble?" Link joked.

"I'm great now that you're here. Tetra's the same as always," Aryll giggled.

"Nice to see you Tetra," Link greeted, setting Aryll down and snapping Tetra out of her frozen state.

"You too," Tetra winked, raising a hand in greeting, "How was the trip?"

"Minor difficulties, but we made it here in one piece," Link replied.

"Minor difficulties? What happened?" Tetra wondered, coming closer.

"Let's talk about that over lunch," the older boy interjected, then turning to Ilia he said, "Thanks for watching them while I was gone."

Ilia nodded and waved goodbye before heading for her own home. They all entered Link's house and sat on the floor talking quietly while Link quickly prepared something for them all to eat.

"What was the town like, Big Brother?" Aryll wondered as she sat in his lap.

"It was big and crowded," Link answered his little sister.

"We met this girl that had a lot of bugs in her house," Medli added.

"Bugs?" Tetra asked, wondering if she'd heard correctly, "Why would someone have bugs in their house? An infestation problem?"

"Nope. She was having a bug ball," Makar spoke up.

"So, you met a crazy person. Congrats," Tetra smirked.

"She was ten or eleven," Link defended.

"Ah, now that makes more sense. You should have said that in the beginning. Children are crazy," Tetra rolled her eyes.

"I think a bug ball sounds cool!" Aryll chirped, "As long as the bugs don't bite and they aren't spiders."

"They're harmless and I don't recall seeing any spiders," Link reported.

The food was ready just then and the other Link joined them on the floor since there wouldn't be enough room for them all to eat at the table.

"Okay," the older boy began after they had all been eating for a while, "on the way here we encountered some monsters."

"What were they anyway?" Link wondered, "I've never seen anything like them."

"They were some type of lizalfos. I've never seen lizalfos look quite like that before, and I was surprised that you could even take them down at all. How did you manage that?" the teenager asked.

"Um, well, a retired adventurer and swordsman taught me pretty much everything I know about sword fighting," Link explained. He was being careful of his wording as Tetra noticed and appreciated. At least he was smart enough not to talk about everything and anything freely here.

"Still, that was impressive, that couldn't have been the first monsters you've taken down," the teen complimented him.

"I've taken down monsters before. It wasn't that great. I'm sure you can do the same thing," Link replied modestly.

"Anyway," Tetra interrupted drawing all eyes to her, "I don't see why it matters. He killed them, no one got hurt, end of story. Now, I'm sure that Link didn't mention to you the riddle Aryll and I were told we must solve to get back home?"

"You knew a riddle this whole time and didn't tell us?" Makar squealed accusingly, whirling around to face Link.

Link held his hands up as if they would protect him from the accusation, "No! I don't know any riddle! How could I possibly know a riddle that they know? I was with you guys the whole time."

"No, not him Makar!" Tetra yelled in frustration, "I meant him!" she pointed instead at the elder boy.

"This is confusing," Medli commented.

"Maybe for your bird brain!" Tetra shot back.

"Let's refrain from insulting each other," the teenager cut in trying to maintain the peace that was rapidly coming undone among their little group.

"Hey! Birds are smart!" Aryll protested jumping to her feet and glaring at Tetra who had a feeling that the little girl was defending her seagulls more than she was Medli.

"Not if they fly to you!" Tetra countered, also getting to her feet.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Aryll questioned.

"Exactly!" Tetra exclaimed, letting Aryll's clueless response prove her point for her. By then it was a mess of Tetra, and Aryll yelling at each other while Medli, Makar, and Link were trying to yell over them to get in their own point of view on the subject across.

"EVERYONE SHUT YOUR MOUTHS AND SIT DOWN!" the eldest of the group shouted over all of them. They were all startled into silence and sat down save for Tetra who defiantly stayed standing. She wasn't going to let anyone order her around.

"Sit down," he ordered again, addressing only her this time.

"I don't see why I have to. Maybe I want to stand," Tetra retaliated, crossing her arms and confirming her act of defiance.

"Seriously, Tetra, sit down," Link interrupted, reaching up and grabbing Tetra's wrist before dragging her down beside him. She glared at him to which he glared back. They stayed that way, their gazes locked, a silent battle raging behind their eyes. They both broke eye contact at the same time, making it impossible to tell who had won or if there had even been a winner at all. Tetra adjusted herself so she was sitting in a more comfortable position, frowning at the floor.

"Now that we're all relatively calmed down, I'll give you each a chance to speak. Tetra will go first, then Medli, then Link, then Makar, and then Aryll," the teen instructed.

"I don't think that there's anything confusing about calling you both Link," Tetra declared.

"I think that it's confusing," Medli stated honestly.

"I don't really care," Link sighed.

"I find it confusing," Makar voted.

"I think that we should call you Link," Aryll announced, pointing to the older boy, "and we should call Big Brother, Kid 'cause Tetra already calls him that most of the time. I'll just call him Big Brother like I normally do."

"That works," Medli and Makar agreed in unison.

"Fine, at least it won't be weird for anyone," Tetra sighed in reluctant tolerance.

"Okay, now that that's solved, let's get back on topic. You guys need a way home and I already agreed to help. So, Tetra and Aryll were given a riddle which Tetra can tell you because I honestly don't remember every word of it," Link said turning over the spotlight to shine on Tetra.

"It goes like this," Tetra began to recite from memory leaving out certain parts in the beginning and replacing them for safety's sake,

"' _Search for your counterparts; Find a boy in green and princess in gold,_

_And reach deep into the light._

_Reawaken the servant who dreams,_

_Then enter the castle within,_

_And bless an ancient life with light._

_A path shall be opened._

_Only then may you have the means of returning home.'_ "

"So far, all we've accomplished is reuniting all of you and you've obviously found me. Now all that's left of the first line is getting to the princess which isn't exactly the easiest goal to accomplish," Link admitted.

"Didn't you check while you were in town? I thought that's where the castle was located," Tetra wondered.

"I tried, but I got denied entry or an arrangement for a meeting because I am not yet eighteen years old and I have to be that old to arrange an audience with her. Even if I was the right age, which I will be in about a month, but I doubt you want to wait that long, it could still take weeks or months to get to speak with her," Link explained.

"That's a problem," Kid agreed, nodding.

"That's why we need more ideas…" Tetra huffed closing her eyes and drowning out the rest of them so the only thing she could hear clearly were her own thoughts. " _Let's see…we could lie and say that Link is eighteen, it's not like they'll ask for proof, and if they do then we can just shove a forged official document in their faces. That could work, but there's the waiting time to consider. Or we could go there and say that there's a threat to Hyrule and raise a false alarm so we can talk to the princess."_  Tetra began to formulate plans in her head but each one had a flaw. Suddenly Tetra gasped quietly and her eyes snapped open. A faint smile danced on her lips. She raised her bowed head and closed one eye in her signature wink.

"What's that look mean?" Link inquired.

"Oh no. That means she has an idea," Kid gulped.

"Tell me when we should start running," Makar squeaked.

"It's too late for that," Kid laughed timorously.


	15. Tetra's Idea

Under the blanket of twilight laid upon the land, six figures crept into the courtyard of Hyrule Castle and ducked down behind a long neatly trimmed hedge. The night was cool and much like any other except for the fact that there were unknown intruders of course. Sentries stood as straight and just as still as trees at their posts oblivious to any unusual activity, but Link expected that. The guards weren't the brightest or bravest around as they liked to boast. He often wondered why Zelda even kept them around, but he supposed that that was none of his business, and as princess she knew what she was doing.

The real question was what was  _he_  doing? After he had helped Tetra and Aryll reunite with their companions they had conversed over the matter and Tetra had a "brilliant" idea to sneak into the castle, track down the princess, and demand her help. At first, Link was firmly against it. Zelda might have been his friend, but that didn't mean that he'd be excused from breaking into the castle. It felt wrong to him for this reason and yet he had to go through with it. He had promised Tetra and Aryll that he'd help them and he wasn't one to go back on his word. No one else had come up with a better or more legal plan, after all.

As for the other three, he didn't quite know what to say or think. When the girls had said that they were separated from their companions he had thought that they're companions would...well, be Hylian. He didn't anticipate encountering two entirely new species or a boy that was practically a younger version of himself! In fact, now that he thought about it, why hadn't Tetra or Aryll voiced the similarity that he seemed to share with one of their companions? They were being vague with the information they divulged, so he supposed that that wasn't too unusual, but what really sent bells ringing through his head was the fact that when he had touched Kid when he was helping him onto Epona, the sacred mark on the back his hand had pulsed with a dull pain. He had ignored it at the time, figuring it didn't mean anything, but now he was addressing it. Why would the Triforce of Courage react to a small action such as that? It didn't make any sense.

Link had tried to find some type of clue as to what would prompt the reaction but couldn't find a mark of any kind on either one of Kid's hands. When they had first met, Link had noted the sword and shield strapped to Kid's back, but when they had been attacked in Hyrule Field he was surprised to find that the child could wield the weapons almost as well as he could, which was no small feat. He could do nothing but wonder about it though. Kid, while he seemed to be a bit more open about information than Tetra, wasn't going to answer the questions that Link wanted to ask. Then there was the possibility that Kid didn't even know himself and was just as confused.

As for Medli and Makar, he found it surprising but not too strange. On his last adventure he'd met many different races, some familiar, some unfamiliar so their presence didn't bother him. What did trouble him, was the fact that he had no idea where any of them were from. On his twilight adventure he had known where each person he had encountered originated from, but these kids were a complete mystery to him. They obviously had a home since he had heard them say the word once or twice before but for some reason they were unwilling to disclose any details about it.

"Hey! Did you hear anything I just said?" Tetra demanded, her voice muted but her tone implying that if she didn't have to be quiet she'd be yelling. Link snapped out of his thoughts to address the girl next to him.

"No, sorry. I was-" Link replied, being cut off abruptly in the middle of his sentence.

"I don't care! Just listen this time. There's a window that's open over there," Tetra stated, pausing to point it out, "That is our ticket in. The only problem is that there are two guards stationed to our right. If we go darting out from here over to the window they'll see us, so we need a distraction."

"That window is too high for even me to reach. Even if we do manage to distract the guards, how do you propose we get up there?" Link questioned, eyeing the window in doubt.

"If you were paying attention earlier, you would already know the answer to that question," Tetra sighed in exasperation, "We're going to use Kid's grappling hook."

"Can I be the distraction?" Aryll wondered, excited to help.

"Depends, how are you going to distract without being seen?" Tetra challenged the little girl. Aryll thought about it for a few moments before shrugging.

"Maybe Makar should do it," Link suggested, "He's the smallest of us all, and he won't be the easiest to spot in the courtyard. Everyone else nodded their agreement.

"What should I do to get their attention?" Makar queried.

"Play your viola," Medli told him smiling, "I'm sure that'll get their attention."  _"Viola? Where did Makar even keep an instrument?"_  Link thought, seeing no type of storage pouch visible on the Korok.

"Okay, Makar, I want you to fly over that wall and then go in a little and hide. Then start playing. Make sure you're far enough away, but don't go too far because they need to be able to hear you. Once you've lured them in, try to keep them distracted as long as you can without getting caught," Tetra instructed. The Korok then gave his form of a nod, which was basically a small bob of his whole body, and then jumped up into the air, a leaf propeller appearing out of nowhere and began to fly over to the wall separating the courtyard from the gardens. This action surprised Link, and he seemed to be incapable of tearing his eyes away. Where did the leaf propeller come from anyway?

Once Makar had disappeared over the wall they all stayed silent, waiting for their signal. A minute or two passed in complete silence, causing them all to wonder if guards had been positioned beyond the wall also. Sweet music erupted suddenly from the other side of the wall. It was audible, but just barely. The music was just loud enough to capture the interest of the sentries who immediately went to investigate upon realizing that none of the castle staff played an instrument.

"Come on guys; we don't know how long Makar can keep them distracted," Tetra urged them, standing up a bit straighter but still keeping low to the ground. The group of five made their way cautiously to their destination, keeping a wary eye on the guards stationed at the front doors of the castle. Once they were beneath the window they were completely out of sight of anyone that could raise the alarm.

Kid pulled a grappling hook out of a small pouch that was on the back of his belt. The pouch must have been enchanted since there wasn't any other way an item so big could fit in a place so small. Link himself had a few similar pouches, but he knew that they weren't easy to come across. Kid twirled the grappling hook in his hands before sending the claw flying at the open window. It caught the sill and Kid tugged on it a few times to make sure that it would hold.

Once he was sure it was stable he nodded to the rest of his companions, "Okay, it'll support us but not everyone at the same time. Who wants to go first?"

"Me!" Aryll exclaimed, jumping up and down giddily.

"This isn't a game Aryll," Tetra reprimanded, "I'll go first to make sure there isn't anyone in the room. Once I say it is clear then you can go next. The rest of you can figure out the order yourselves." Tetra then began climbing up to the window, using the side of the building to give her leverage. She made it to the top in less than a minute and peered inside cautiously. She hoisted herself up onto the sill and called down as quietly as she could while still being loud enough for the others hear her, "It's clear!"

When Aryll began to climb up next, the music stopped unexpectedly as if someone had wound up a music box and abruptly slammed it shut before it could reach the climax of its song. They all tensed, feeling exposed without the music as if it was some magic spell that had been cast on them all to make them invisible but had just worn off. A full minute passed. They all breathed a soft sigh of relief when a high note sounded from beyond the wall and then the music continued in its former melodic flow. Aryll resumed slowly climbing, her brother standing at the bottom ready to catch her if she fell. Thankfully, the little girl made it to the top without slipping, and Tetra pulled her inside. Kid started up next, scaling it quicker than his sister and pulling himself in without any assistance. Link motioned for Medli to go next. He wanted to make sure they all got in before him. If it came down to it, if he got caught by himself he could probably talk his way out of it, but if one of them were caught….well they wouldn't get off as easily.

Medli shook her head, "You can go first."

Link was about to reply when Tetra stuck her head out the window, "What are you two doing?" she demanded, "Just get up here already. I'll make your decisions easier, Medli, come on we'll stand off to the side so you'll have plenty of room. Once she's in Link, climb up here and then we wait for Makar." She then disappeared from view.

Medli backed away from the window and Link thought that it was her way of saying that she was too scared to do it. Once she had taken about ten steps back she lifted her head and directed her gaze at the window, inspecting her target. She took a running start and Link wondered what good it would do her in climbing up to the window but as she got closer he realized that her eyes weren't on the rope, but on the window. She extended her pale arms out to either side of her and they instantly sprung into wings with a barely noticeable twitch of her shoulders and she pushed off of the ground and into the air. Link gaped at her as he watched the girl fly, with her white feathered wings, up into the rapidly darkening sky and into the window where she disappeared from view.

Link was becoming more and more fascinated in these children as time progressed. He didn't have time to dwell on it though, for the viola music had faded once again. There was no sense in waiting for it to return since it wasn't guaranteed to at this point. Link started to climb up toward the goal as fast as he could. He got to the peak quickly and pulled himself inside without a problem. The room was plain with not much in it. Either it was unused or the room hadn't been a top priority in the reconstruction and was forgotten about. Fortunately for them, there wasn't another soul present aside from their little party. The others stood waiting there impatiently, and Kid stepped forward to retrieve his grappling hook and stow it away. Medli's wings were once again arms. He wondered if it hurt, having her limbs change so quickly like that. He had been transformed before and had his bones shifted and he clearly remembered the pain that came with it, but he wondered if the same applied with Rito.

"Did you always have those wings?" Link ventured, figuring that the question was innocent enough so she shouldn't object to answering it.

"Huh? Well-" Medli replied about to explain when Makar flew in through the window, landing in Aryll's outstretched arms.

"Okay, everyone's here. Let's go," Tetra said, head held high and clutching the red bandana at her neck with her right hand. Link wondered if she was afraid or nervous about getting caught.

"Do you know where you're going?" Link asked, raising an eyebrow in question.

"I like to think I do," Tetra responded, not sparing him a glance and making her way towards the only door.

"So….that's a no then," Link stated coming to a conclusion quickly.

"Do  _you_ know where you're going?" Tetra countered, whirling around to face him, her deep blue eyes piercing his.

"They rebuilt the entire castle since the last time I was here," Link answered shortly.

"I didn't think so," Tetra scoffed, "Just trust me, I have a pretty good idea of where the princess is."

"And how would you know that?" Link retorted.

"Just a feeling," Tetra replied confidently, turning away and breaking the eye contact between them. A feeling? He doubted a feeling would get them anywhere. This plan couldn't be more flawed and he couldn't believe that he was going through with it. Tetra put her ear to the door listening for any evidence of people on the other side of it. She might have been impetuous but she also wasn't stupid. Link himself couldn't sense any noise and apparently Tetra couldn't either for she stood up straighter and gripped the glass door handle. Tetra opened the door just enough so she could see into the next room. Seeing no one, she opened it wider to reveal a royal blue carpeted hallway. She motioned them to follow her and they complied, Kid shutting the door quietly behind them once they had all stepped through the doorway.

Link watched as Tetra walked to the left a little before changing her mind and heading to the right, still clutching the scarlet fabric at her neck. The unexpected guests made their way to the door on the right end of the hallway. Tetra repeated the process she had with the previous door. Hearing nothing but silence she cautiously opened the door and motioned them all through, closing it quietly behind her after she had stepped through.

They now stood in another hallway. This one was much smaller and upon closer inspection seemed to be a landing between stairs. There was a staircase in front of them leading up on the left and one leading down on the right. Link doubted that Tetra had any idea where she was going, but then again, neither did he. If the castle hadn't been blown up at the conclusion of his adventure then maybe this would be easier. Unfortunately the entire castle had to be rebuilt and he hadn't been in it since then.

Link was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't realize that Tetra had made a decision and the rest were already climbing the stairs on the left. He would have still been standing there if it wasn't for Aryll catching his attention and telling him to hurry. They climbed the staircase up to the next landing without incident. Link could hear footsteps at the top of the next flight of stairs. They faded away quickly though, thankfully not heading in their direction.

Tetra seemed to hear the noise too and stayed low as she climbed the stairs, gesturing for them all to wait where they were while she scoped it out. She slinked up to the top and then after a minute or two made her way back to them. "We're going to need a distraction, and I nominate Link," Tetra announced.

"Wait a minute! Why me?" Link protested, he had no inclination of being bait.

"Because if you get caught it won't matter, now will it Mr. Important Hero?" Tetra smirked, putting her hands on her hips in a bossy fashion. Her last words echoed through his head and he instantly thought of Midna. That had been her nickname for him. He swiftly snapped himself out of his reverie, not wishing to get caught up in the past and have it distract him from the task at hand. Pushing the all too familiar mocking title to the back of his mind, he wondered what gave Tetra the authority to push him around. He was older than her after all and he didn't have to do what she said. She had nothing hanging over his head. If anyone had to be careful about what they said and did, it was her.

"Not happening," Link objected, "Let's go with a different plan. My plan."

"What's your plan then?" Tetra sneered, crossing her arms in mock interest.

"My plan entails a beautiful strategy I like to call: winging it," Link informed her.

Tetra raised her eyebrows, "Winging it is not a plan."

"It is if you're me," Link shrugged, "Now come on, let's go."

"Who made you leader?" Tetra inquired, narrowing her eyes as if this would somehow make her more intimidating. It didn't.

"I could ask the same of you. I'm older, it only makes sense that I'm leading," Link replied honestly.

"Age has nothing to do with authority," Tetra argued.

"Actually, it does," Link countered half-heartedly. Getting into a verbal argument over this right now wasn't worth it.

"Actually, it doesn't. By your logic, if a king was a year or two younger than you then he'd have absolutely no jurisdiction over you," Tetra retorted.

"That's not what I'm saying," Link sighed.

"Then what are you saying?" Tetra huffed.

"That no one wants to take orders from a little girl," Link shot back, aiming to shut her up. Her insistence on prolonging the dispute was starting to annoy him. He didn't care if it wasn't particularly the nicest thing to say. He obviously couldn't deal with her in the same manner that he had Midna. At least Midna had known when to keep her mouth shut. Tetra was different from Midna and he realized that he was wrong to compare the two before. They were nothing alike and certainly couldn't be handled in the same manner. The only way he could see of dealing effectively with Tetra was to fight fire with fire.

At these words Tetra didn't waste time on a comeback and instead put her effort into lunging at him, fury glinting in her eyes. Kid grabbed her by the waist to restrain her before she could even touch Link and covered her mouth with his free hand to muffle the string of curses she threw at him. Link ignored the display and pushed past the two, cautiously approaching the peak of the steps. No one was in sight. After about a minute a servant hurried by, too focused on their destination to pay attention to their surroundings. As soon as the figure vanished behind the left wall, Link counted to ten in his head before darting out from hiding and heading in the opposite direction than the servant had gone.

Tetra, calmed down as much was possible given the still fresh quarrel, leaped out of hiding also, "If you're going to wing it, at least have some common sense," Tetra glowered, "Servants serve the royal family. If we go in the same direction as them it'll lead us closer to our goal."

As much as he didn't want to admit it, she was right. The servant had been carrying something. Probably something that they were going to deliver to someone important if their haste indicated anything. Wordlessly, he jogged over to where she was waiting with the others. They all progressed vigilantly down the hallway at a reasonable pace with Link in the lead, much to the irritation of Tetra. She was silent, but he could sense her displeasure by the eyes he knew were boring into the back of his skull. He could care less at the moment if she was angry with him. She had asked for his help and he had no problem giving it. If she didn't like the way he was running the show she could leave by herself. He knew that she wouldn't do that though.

They passed a door or two before coming to a pair of white double doors with two sentries stationed in front on either side. Somehow they all managed to duck down behind a nearby laundry cart, which was unusually large, without being spotted. Tetra was clutching her bandana again, "The princess is behind those doors," she whispered almost inaudibly.

"How do you know?" Link wondered, his voice hushed.

"There are guards stationed at those doors. None of the other doors had anyone guarding them. They have to be protecting something," Tetra explained. She had answered him almost immediately, but he had noticed the slight hesitation in her voice at the beginning. She must have been more nervous than he had first expected.

"Uh oh," Aryll exclaimed quietly, her eyes widening as she raised her arm to point out her fear. Link followed her accusing finger. It was pointing to a maid who seemed to be heading straight for the cart that was concealing them from view. They couldn't be caught. Not now. They were so close!

"Hurry, get under here!" Tetra ordered lifting up the sheet covering the bottom of the over-sized cart. There seemed to be enough space for them all but just barely. They all piled in, and Aryll, the last of them to enter, let the ivory sheet drop back down, obscuring them from prying eyes. Fortunately, the laundry inches above their heads were clean. It was a tight fit and Aryll was practically sitting on top of Link with Makar in her arms.

 _"Well, it could be worse,"_  Link consoled himself silently,  _"The clothes_   _above me could be dirty, or the cart could start moving,"_  Link smiled at the latter notion. When the cart suddenly lurched in what direction he assumed was forward, it wasn't so funny anymore.

"Hey! Why's it so heavy?" he heard a young voice complain from above.

"Too weak to even push a laundry cart now, huh Paige?" teased another voice, this one just as feminine as the first.

"Oh shush, Amisa," the first girl, Paige, returned matching her friend's joking tone.

"I'll help you; I bet one of the new girls overfilled it. Next time we'll just be clearer about how they're  _not_  supposed to fill the bottom," the second girl, whose name must have been Amisa, laughed. Both girls pushed and the cart moved more easily than before.

"Is it even possible for laundry to be this heavy?" Paige grunted from above.

 _"Please don't look underneath,"_  Link silently pleaded. The maids both giggled, and returned to their task, much to the relief of the six stowaways. Link wished that the maids would abandon their job so they could get out. He was getting more claustrophobic by the second. After what seemed like a long period of time, the cart's motion ceased and they listened with bated breath to the girls conversing above. They had apparently decided that the cart was too heavy for them to push all over the castle to the correct rooms so they were leaving to enlist the help of the new girls that they thought had created the issue.

This was their chance. Once the footsteps of the maids had receded into the distance they all tumbled out of the cart, glad to be out of the confined space. Link picked himself up from the floor and helped pull Aryll to her feet. By the time he had done that, everyone was standing and ready to go on.

"Which way did they take us?" Medli wondered, glancing around the unfamiliar hallway. This hallway seemed unfinished, as the floors were not yet carpeted and the walls bare. The only light in the hallway came from the moonlight seeping in through the curtainless windows.

"Come on, follow me, they didn't manage to take us that far," Tetra said, grasping her crimson bandana once again and gesturing for them to follow her. Link let her lead since he hadn't been paying that much attention to where they had turned or if they had even turned at all. In no time Tetra had successfully led them back to where they originally were. With the absence of the cart there was nothing to hide them, so they stayed back in the shadows cast by the lit sconces on the walls.

"Alright, I have an idea of how to get rid of the guards," Tetra announced.

"It doesn't include anyone as bait, I hope?" Kid questioned.

"No. Not this time. It's all on you though," Tetra answered truthfully.

"Great," Link feigned alacrity, "What is it?"

"It's simple. I want you to use your boomerang to hit those guards on the head. It should knock them out, but make sure you get them both at once so the other doesn't have time to signal an alarm," Tetra commanded, pointing to the fully armored sentries positioned at the double doors that the princess was thought to be behind.

"I don't like this but….okay," Kid sighed finally, fishing out a yellow boomerang from his seemingly infinite pouch. Tetra stepped back to give him room and let him concentrate. He took careful aim before flicking his wrist expertly and letting the weapon fly in the direction of the two clueless sentries.  _Thunk. Thunk._ Both guards fell in succession and the boomerang returned to the hand that had sent it on its mission.

"Yay! It worked!" Aryll cheered quietly. Kid nodded a little guiltily as he stored the boomerang away.

"They'll be fine," Tetra assured him, clapping a hand on his shoulder, "You didn't kill them; they're just unconscious." She made it sound like casual conversation! That was another thing that he found concerning about these kids. They didn't really act like children their ages would. Well, Aryll did but the rest of them didn't and he couldn't help but wonder why. Tetra approached the double doors, a hand to her bandana. The rest of the small party made haste to stand next to her as she took a deep breath and reached for one of the cold glass door handles. She pulled it open slowly and gestured for them all to be quiet. They entered one by one.

Link was the last to enter and so he was ultimately the one to close the door. He meant to do it quietly so as not to disturb the princess who had her back to them and was gazing out the glass doors leading to her balcony. Quicker than he could register what was happening the door he was holding open slipped out of his nervous grasp and slammed shut with a resounding  _BANG!_ The princess jumped and whirled around, startled by the unexpected noise.  _"Great, now it's going to be even more awkward,"_  Link groaned inwardly. He had imagined coming in, explaining everything right away, and the conversation between Zelda and himself flowing smoothly. That fantasy was shattered rather quickly and soon crumbled to dust when Tetra made it worse by speaking up, a smirk painted on her face. He swore that that was the only time she got close to an actual smile. "Hello Princess," Tetra greeted, her tone somewhere between a serious and mocking one, spreading her hands out to either side of her as if their encounter was a complete surprise to her and closing her right eye in her now all too familiar signature wink.


	16. The Princess of Hyrule

Crickets chirped outside, beginning the nightly orchestra. Inside the newly constructed walls of Hyrule Castle business went about normal, unaware of the abrupt meeting being held in the princess's chambers. Kid had thought that Princess Zelda would call for reinforcements and they'd all be whisked away to the dungeons before they could explain themselves. Much to his surprise, and relief, that was not what had happened. Link had stepped forward as quickly as he could and told the princess that they needed to talk. The pair had then went onto the balcony to discuss the situation with the glass doors closed tightly so no one inside could hope to hear what they were saying.

Now, it was just Kid's small group alone in the ostentatious quarters that the Princess of Hyrule designated as her room, waiting. Tetra hopped onto Princess Zelda's king sized canopy bed and lounged among the many frilly pillows and meticulously hand sewn blankets as if she owned it.

"Tetra, I wouldn't do that," Kid warned his friend.

"Why not? We should be getting used to this. After all, once we find what we're looking for, we'll be living like this for the rest of our lives," Tetra pointed out, picking up a small throw pillow in her hands.

"What  _are_  you looking for?" Aryll questioned.

"Nothing," Tetra answered, tossing the pillow at Kid who was forced to catch it to prevent it from striking his face.

"It can't be nothing! You wouldn't be looking for nothing. You have to be looking for something. Why won't you tell me what it is? Everyone seems to know what it is except for me," Aryll whined, stamping her foot in frustration.

"Aryll, calm down. It's not something you need to know right now," Kid tried to calm his younger sibling.

"But why can't I know?!" Aryll pressed, visibly annoyed.

"Because it's a surprise and if we told you then the surprise will be spoiled," Kid explained.

"A surprise?" Aryll wondered, "For who? Me?"

"Yes. You, and Grandma, and almost everyone else at home," Kid confirmed with a nod of his head. Aryll brightened at this news and busied herself with looking at everything in the large room with Medli who occasionally pulled the smaller girl away from expensive-looking objects she felt opted to touch.

"I wish we knew what they were saying," Tetra frowned, directing her gaze to the glass balcony doors where the backs of Link and Princess Zelda were visible, their heads bow together in quiet conversation. Kid just shrugged and sat on the edge of the bed. Link was just informing the princess of the situation while trying to also explain their castle infiltration so they didn't all get sentenced to life in the dungeons. He didn't see why they needed to hear every single word they spoke to each other.

"I hope they're finished talking soon. I'm hungry," Kid commented. His response was a pillow to the face. "What was that for?" he wanted to know.

"This is serious and all you can think about is food?" Tetra exclaimed in disbelief.

"I've barely had anything to eat all day," he defended. It was true. He hadn't had breakfast and the only thing he recalled eating today was the small lunch that Link had prepared for them all, but that had been hours ago.

"You'll live," Tetra rolled her eyes, "Aryll and I hadn't eaten for at least a full day before we stumbled upon Link."

"Really? You never did share what happened to you two. Care to enlighten me?" Kid inquired.

"Fine. It's not that interesting," Tetra warned him.

"I can live with that," Kid replied.

"Okay, well, we both woke up in a wood of some kind and then Aryll found this stone that was "singing". Then this weird creature appeared, and stole my wallet, so we were forced to play hide and seek with it and chase it down. It eventually led us to a clearing where we battled it, won, and it disappeared. Then we found the Master Sword in a pedestal. After that monkeys came and helped us get out of the clearing we were stuck in. The end," Tetra relayed her tale with a bored expression on her face.

" _That's_  not interesting?" Kid wondered, raising his eyebrows, "I'd love to hear what you consider interesting then. Are you sure it was the Master Sword? And what are monkeys?"

"Positive. It was definitely real, and monkeys are just normal forest animals. I showed you a picture of one in a book I have at home, remember?" Tetra explained.

"I don't recall you ever showing me a picture of any animal," Kid shook his head. Tetra threw another pillow at him which he easily dodged. "You're going to run out of pillows to throw eventually," Kid said smiling.

"No I won't. The princess practically hordes pillows from what I can tell. I'll never run out of ammo. There's probably enough here to have an epic pillow fight," Tetra answered, tossing a small pillow from one hand to the other.

"That's probably not a good idea," Kid advised. They were already in trouble for breaking into the castle. Having a royal pillow fight wouldn't give the best impression.

"Yes! Let's do a pillow fight!" Aryll exclaimed coming over to them, giddy with excitement.

"Let's not," Kid tried to persuade his little sister.

"I agree with him," Medli voiced her opinion, coming closer, "We are in a princess's bedroom. I don't think that pillow fights are proper or tolerated by royalty."

"Who cares? I say let the pillow fight commence. Every man for himself!" Tetra declared, pegging the pillow she had been playing with in her hands at Medli, eliciting a small squeal of surprise from the Rito girl.

Aryll giggled and jumped onto the bed, gathering as many pillows she could carry into her arms from Tetra's throne.

"No, no, no," Tetra objected, grabbing the pillows back, "You can't just take them you have to fight me for them."

"No fair!" Aryll pouted, "We should have teams."

"Then team up if you want. To get a pillow from the bed you have to get me off of it first," Tetra smirked. Aryll abandoned her mission and slid off of the bed. Kid motioned his sister over to where Medli, Makar, and himself were already huddled up, formulating a plan. Aryll hurried over.

"Here's the plan," Kid began, his voice low so Tetra couldn't hear what they were saying, "Some pillows are already on the floor. She has no claims to those so we can use them. You guys gather all of them and hit her from different angles. Make sure her attention is on one of you at all times. If we get lucky she might even throw some pillows of her own and give us more ammo. Just keep firing until you can't anymore. I'll sneak up and tackle her off of the bed. Then everyone get on the bed so then she'll have to get all of us off of it if she wants it back. Got it?" Everyone nodded in confirmation and they dispersed. Medli, Aryll, and Makar gathered all the pillows from the floor that they could find and began to fire.

Kid dropped low and snuck around to the side of the bed. While Tetra was distracted with deflecting the other's attacks he jumped up and hopped onto the bed so fast that he was almost a blur and pushed Tetra with enough force to unbalance her. She refused to go down alone and grabbed his sleeve, dragging him down with her. They both fell the short distance to the ground and his accomplices wasted no time in initiating the final step in the plan.

"Yay! We win!" Aryll cheered hopping up and down on the bed, a pillow held up in victory.

Kid got to his feet and Tetra stood up also, an annoyed expression on her face.

"Don't be like that," Kid chastised her matching the look on her face with one of his own, "Just because you lost doesn't mean it's the end of the world."

"Shut up," Tetra mumbled, punching him in the arm, not hard enough to be serious but not light enough to be playful either. The balcony doors opened just as Aryll had settled down into a seat on the bed beside Medli and Makar. If either of them noticed the few misplaced pillows that were on the floor, they didn't voice it. Instead the princess and hero walked back into the room, closing the doors behind them to keep out the slightly cold night air.

Kid hadn't had a chance to take in the princess's appearance before since Link had practically dragged her onto the balcony before anything else could be said. Now he realized that light brown locks replaced the blonde hair he had expected to see. Her eyes were a cobalt blue color and Kid noted how they stayed firm, steady, and unyielding towards whatever they were directed at and yet, he couldn't bring himself to describe her gaze as cold for it was warm like a blue flame. Pulsing every now and then but otherwise still, beautiful to look at, nice to feel from a distance, but up close it was not as harmless as it seemed. Her dress was elaborate yet a simple combination of white, gold, and lavender. She wore armor around her shoulders like a shawl and the crown atop her head was fashioned from gold and twisted into the shape of leaves to support a single shining blue gem in the center. A solemn air surrounded her.

"Normally, I would accept no excuses for these circumstances but…..I'm making an exception," Princess Zelda announced, glancing at Link briefly before returning her gaze to them, "Link has explained the situation to me and we both analyzed the riddle that two of you uncovered."

"Great, so you know how to get us home?" Tetra queried, her eyes meeting the princess's. Link and Princess Zelda exchanged apprehensive looks before returning their attention back to the others.  _"What did that mean? That they don't know or that they don't want to tell us?"_  Kid wondered silently.

"We have a…general idea," Princess Zelda replied, choosing her words carefully.

"An idea is better than none at all. Let's go!" Tetra exclaimed, uncrossing her arms and seeming to forget about her brief enmity toward Kid and the others for their success.

"We can't," Princess Zelda objected, holding up an elegantly gloved hand.

"What? Why not? Just tell us what we have to do. Kid and I will handle it just fine. We're both more than capable of defending ourselves if we need to," Tetra argued.

"This isn't a problem of whether I think you can or can't defend yourselves. In fact, I don't doubt your abilities. I've figured out that the second part of the riddle something about gathering light? Correct?" Princess Zelda waited for Tetra to confirm her words with a nod before continuing, "Must mean that you must visit and speak with all of the light spirits in Hyrule. There are a total of four. A few issues present themselves. One, you don't know this land well at all, or at least I'm assuming. Therefore, you'll need an escort like Link. Another issue is that the spirits don't reveal themselves to just anyone which is why you need me, but I have a kingdom to run."

"Well, can't you just have someone cover for you while you're away? You know, like a second in command?" Tetra asked, a hint of desperation in her voice.

It was silent for a little too long before the princess spoke up again. More hesitant this time, "Yes. However, it's only for emergencies, not for whenever I decide to take a random journey around Hyrule."

"Faron revealed himself to Aryll and me, and we didn't have to do anything. Are you sure that the others won't do the same?" Tetra inquired.

"It's possible that they could, but it's extremely unlikely," Princess Zelda responded, "To be guaranteed an audience, I have to be there. The spirits can call on whoever they please, but it doesn't work both ways. Citizens of Hyrule don't have the power to call on the light spirits. As the leader of the kingdom, I am the only human that can call on them."

"There must be something we can do!" Tetra cried in frustration, "You have to get breaks sometime right?"

"Yes, but I'm restricted to the castle grounds, and if I did leave a handful of guards would accompany me whether I want them to or not," Zelda said, her tone a bit sad.

"Your guards are pretty useless if you ask me," Tetra muttered, just loud enough for everyone to hear.

"Tetra!" Kid cried, astonished that she would say something so rude to royalty. The glare she directed at him told him that he shouldn't have expected anything else. Kid reminded himself that Tetra was technically royalty, as hard as that was to believe sometimes. She was a princess of a drowned and forgotten kingdom seeking a land that is currently undiscovered so she can rule it, but he supposed that it still counted. Princess Zelda smiled in what Kid interpreted as unspoken agreement.

Link, who had been unusually quiet, laughed, "Tell me about it, if you ask them to escort you somewhere they're all for it until you mention that there's monsters. Then you'll never again see a man run so fast. I should know."

"Why? Did you need them as an escort before?" Kid wondered.

Link shook his head, "No. Someone else did and I ended up having to escort them instead. I didn't mind of course but still…."

"If the guards are that bad then why can't you just sneak out, Princess?" Makar suggested from his perch on Medli's lap. Princess Zelda seemed mildly surprised at first but recovered quickly. Link had probably explained about their races in their little private discussion on the balcony.

"My guards may be cowardly at times," Princess Zelda admitted, "but they are not vacuous. They would notice my absence if I did leave." The room was plunged into silence. Kid wasn't sure if he welcomed the quiet or not. Quiet could mean thinking which could be good because they needed a plan to get the princess to accompany them. Silence could also be his enemy because it gave him time to think about home. He recalled to memory the familiar ocean breezes that carried various smells on their invisible tails, the slightly irritating cry of seagulls, the way the sun was spit out of the sea every morning and swallowed whole every night, and even the faces of Tetra's cowardly yet loyal crew, and his grandmother. He quickly shook the thoughts out of his head. He couldn't allow himself to think about any of it too long. It only made him yearn to return home even more passionately than before.

The princess spoke up, creating a welcome distraction to pull Kid out of his thoughts completely, "I think I have an idea. Wait here." The princess then left the room. Kid hoped that Link had explained about how they had to knock out two guards to get in her room, so she didn't freak out when she noticed two unconscious men outside of her bedroom. He didn't hear any scream or other alarmed sound meaning that Link must have informed her.

"So…pillow fight?" Link asked nonchalantly.

"How'd you know?!" Aryll exclaimed, eyes wide.

"While we were on the balcony I glanced inside to see if you guys were behaving yourselves and witnessed everyone throwing and deflecting pillows," Link explained, smiling, "The princess didn't see it, so don't worry."

"You're not mad at us?" Medli wondered, tilting her head to the side slightly in question.

"I'm not mad. Princess Zelda might be if she found out though…" Link trailed off implying that he had the power to make that happen.

"Okay," Tetra sighed in defeat, "What do we have to do to persuade you not to tell her?"

"Give me a real pillow fight," Link replied picking up a small pink pillow with an intricate design stitched into it and firing the first shot thus setting off a war of soft fabric and feathers.

When the princess returned roughly fifteen minutes later everyone froze as if her presence had automatically paralyzed them all. They stayed that way for a full thirty seconds before dropping whatever they happened to be holding and pointing fingers as to who had started it. Link seemed like the best candidate to blame, so most of them directed their silent accusation at him. Princess Zelda just chuckled softly, breaking her regal posture for the first time since Kid had met her. She reclaimed it quickly, though he could see remnants of humor linger in her eyes.

"So….how'd it go?" Link wondered casually.

The princess closed the grand doors behind her before answering, "It went well. I told them that I just caught wind of a monster infestation near the light spirits and that I must go with you to restore any damage the monsters may have caused to the spirits. Thankfully they didn't question why you or anyone else was here. I think they just assumed that I invited you and they didn't notice me lead you in. Either way, it's good they didn't ask because I wouldn't have had an answer to give them."

"Wow. I'm surprised the guards didn't try to persuade you to allow them to come with you," Link said, leaning against the bed frame.

"Oh, believe me, they did. That's what took me so long," Princess Zelda sighed, sitting down on the arm of a plush chair, "Convincing that bunch about my safety is next to impossible but somehow I managed."

"Great, so when do we leave?" Tetra questioned, impatiently shifting her weight from one foot to the other.

"In the morning. There's no sense in spending the night in Hyrule Field if we don't have to. As we speak supplies are being gathered for tomorrow," Princess Zelda responded, "I requested enough for four people.

"Four people? But there's seven of us in all," Kid objected.

"I'm well aware of that, but I'm also aware of the threats that are currently outside too. According to what Link has told me monsters have become more active recently. That means that there's a good chance we will be ambushed or encounter enemies multiple times as we travel to each spirit spring. That being said, this journey will be a dangerous one. That's why I am requesting that Medli, Makar, and Aryll stay here."

A chorus of protests arose from the trio and the princess held up her hand for silence. Once it was granted she spoke, "I understand you don't want to be separated from your companions when you just got reunited, but it's for your protection."

"She's right," Tetra cut in before the threesome could retaliate anymore, "Kid and I can fight. You three can't. It'll be safer here and while you're here you can research things for us. I'm sure there's a library or something somewhere in this place."

"Research what?" Aryll wondered.

"The riddle of course," Tetra replied glaring at the trio. The words she spoke were false though. Kid could tell, for while her mouth ordered one thing, her eyes demanded another. She could really care less about the riddle. She wanted them to research things about the recorded past that they had here. Specifically, the story of the Hero of Time. He knew no one else could see it aside from himself and his companions. You had to know Tetra and the way she thought to truly begin to understand anything about her. Aryll seemed to catch on after a few seconds passed, her mouth forming into a small o.

"I guess that's okay. We'll still get to help in a way," Medli nodded to show she understood the decision and what Tetra was asking of them. Aryll looked downcast for a moment but swiftly shook off the negative emotion upon realizing she'd be able to stay in a castle for a short time.

"I've already informed the entire staff that you three will be staying here so you don't have to worry about sneaking around. There is a library. You can either look for it yourselves or ask someone passing by in the hall. They'll escort you almost anywhere in the castle. Anyway, it's getting late, and we'll all need a fresh start in the morning whether we're going anywhere or not. I'll show you all to your sleeping quarters and have someone deliver supper to your rooms," Princess Zelda announced, standing. The princess then led them all to their temporary rooms, boys separated from the girls, and in little time they were all feasting on a vast dinner of delicacies in their rooms.

Kid didn't recognize some of the food but ate it without question since he was famished. None of it tasted terrible, although he naturally preferred some dishes over others. The conversation among Link, Makar, and Kid was minimal, but no one seemed to mind. As Kid drifted off to sleep later that night he couldn't help but let his mind wander to all the possible outcomes of the journey they were embarking on tomorrow. Would it be simple compared to his previous adventures, or would it be his most difficult quest to face? There was no way for him to know, he decided as the invisible tendrils of sleep wrapped around him to selfishly claim and manipulate his spirit while his body rested. Only tomorrow would tell.


	17. The Journey Begins

Two young girls made their way through the halls of Hyrule Castle. Morning light wove its way through the fibers of the glass in the windows, a daily trip that the light had probably always took, so it didn't have any need of much thought for the maze was memorized. As for the two girls, the halls of the immense castle were also a maze. One they hadn't had time to commit to memory, and so they were being led by an escort.

Their escort was a young woman in her early twenties. She didn't talk much, in fact she seemed in a bit of a rush, as if the guests in the castle were rats that were slowly spreading a disease and the quicker she completed her task, the quicker she would be rid of the foul creatures. Tetra decided immediately that she disliked the woman. The only reason why she didn't send her away and state that they could find it themselves was the fact that she was also in a hurry. The sooner this little adventure for the light spirits was over the sooner they'd be home, or at least closer to home than they were. Now that she thought about it, their escort's promptness may have come from the fact that Tetra had requested she lead them to the boys' room instead of the throne room like she was told.

The woman stopped suddenly and Aryll would have gone crashing into her back if Tetra hadn't grabbed the little girl by her wrist and pulled her back to a stop. Another woman stood in front of this door. She looked closer to Link's age.

"You were supposed to have them ready and out here by now. What's the hold up?" the older woman demanded, her tone clearly expressing that her patience today was next to zero.

"I-I'm sorry!" the younger girl stuttered bowing her head slightly, "They're still sleeping and I thought that it would be rude to wake them…"

Their escort looked just as annoyed as Tetra felt. Tetra certainly had no qualms about being "rude".

"Is the door open?" Tetra asked, directing her question at the more anxious of the two woman. When she was given a small nod of confirmation she opened the door and closed it behind her, not caring when the door shut rather loudly. Makar was not in the room. She assumed that, like Medli, he had been escorted to the library earlier. In fact, Aryll was supposed to be with them, but the child had insisted she get to say goodbye to her brother.

"Oi! Get up ya lazy bums! We got a big day ahead of us and sleeping isn't on our list of things to do!" Tetra snapped, cupping her hands around her mouth so her voice would project out to every corner of the room. She watched, hands on hips, as Link and Kid both jerked awake, the latter falling ungracefully out of bed. Tetra sighed and shook her head. She supposed some things never changed. "Come on already," she insisted, she had no intention of waiting much longer, "The princess is waiting for us in the throne room and there's a servant outside to escort us. You both already slept through breakfast, so I hope you can eat while you walk because if not then you've got yourself a problem."

"Hey, Tetra did you ever try a nice, 'It's time to wake up'? It's quite effective," Link said rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

"It isn't from my experience. I'm serious. Put on your gear and let's go!" Tetra ordered, crossing her arms over her chest.

Kid got to his feet rather quickly and gathered his things while Link moved at a slower pace just to spite her, she felt. A few minutes later they all stepped out of the room. The woman that had escorted Tetra and Aryll was nowhere in sight. Only the nervous girl remained, biting her lip as if it could calm her nerves while Aryll stood waiting beside her. As soon as the little girl caught a glimpse of her brother she ran forward and wrapped her arms around him in a hug.

"Please don't leave Big Brother!" Aryll begged, clinging to the boy as if he was a lifeline.

"Aryll, if I knew you were just going to beg, I would've let them take you take you to the library with Medli," Tetra said, stepping forward to pull the little girl away from her brother. Kid held up a hand in a silent gesture to tell her to wait.

"Aryll, I'm sorry, but I have to go. I'll come back," Kid apologized returning his sister's hug before letting go. Aryll only pulled away slightly.

"When?" she sniffed, looking up at him with a tear-stained face.

"As soon as possible," Kid answered smiling down at his sibling and wiping her tears away.

"That's what you said last time!" Aryll cried. Kid sighed, clearly sympathetic for his sister but frustrated at the same time. Tetra herself didn't see the big deal. Kid left her often, but he always came back eventually.

"Aryll, stop acting like a baby. He says he's coming back and he will. He's said the same thing every time and it never stops being true, so just say goodbye already," Tetra ordered, eager to get going and refusing to let a trivial matter such as this delay their departure.

Aryll silently mulled it over. Her tears were gone but a frown still lingered on her face. She took a deep breath to calm herself before nodding in agreement. "Okay….promise to come back though?" Aryll requested, looking straight into her brother's eyes.

"I promise, Aryll," Kid vowed.

"Ahem…not to interrupt," the servant girl interjected shyly, "but the princess is waiting. We should get going to the throne room. I can take your sister to the library after that." The boys decided not to waste time with breakfast, so the foursome followed the skittish servant to the throne room. Aryll embraced her brother one more time before she allowed herself to be led away towards the library.

Tetra examined the new room. It was the most massive room she'd seen yet. The ceilings were so high that it made her wonder if it was even possible for people to get up there to construct it in the first place. Large spiraling pillars supported the roof. They were probably the only things capable of preventing the ceiling from falling on them. The floors were made of some type of white polished stone, and a long royal blue carpet led the way up the steps to the throne which was set back against the farthest wall. Even the throne was a sight to behold. It was made of white marble and the back of the chair reached high towards the ceiling finally stopping in a circle formation. Three feminine figures were depicted surrounding the golden Triforce in the middle. The seat of the throne was padded with a red material of some kind and upon the throne sat Princess Zelda herself. Surprisingly no guards were in the room. As Tetra looked around she made mental notes to herself about things to add or remove in her not-yet-existent castle.

The princess wore a hooded black cloak that concealed whatever clothing she was wearing underneath it, as well as most of her face. Tetra guessed that she didn't want others knowing of her identity since it would draw too much attention. The trio approached the throne, their footsteps echoing in the vast room no matter how lightly they stepped. The princess was alerted by the noise and quickly stood up. She closed the gap between them in a matter of seconds.

"Is everyone ready to depart?" Princess Zelda wondered. She still held herself regally, but she seemed to be secretly containing excitement.  _"Does she really not get out that much?"_  Tetra thought to herself as Link answered the princess's question for all of them. As they followed the princess out of the castle Tetra felt uneasy. She couldn't quite describe what it was. Her anxiousness didn't blossom from sudden danger though. In fact, she felt completely safe yet something was nagging at the back of her mind. It was something important she was sure, but she couldn't pull it to the surface. Just as they stepped outside of town, the eastern gate she was sure to note, she realized what it was.

Princess Zelda's motivation for helping them. The princess had never made it clear. Tetra knew why Link was motivated to help them since he was a hero, but the princess had no such title to live up to, so why would she drop everything to help a group of strange kids that didn't even seem to be from her kingdom? Did she sense something, or did she know something they didn't? Tetra decided that she'd have to be more cautious around the princess, her counterpart, quite possibly her ancestor, than she was around Link.

She hurried to catch up to the others upon realizing that she was lagging behind. Across the wooden bridge that connected the eastern gate to the field two horses were grazing. One she recognized as Link's horse, Epona. The other was unfamiliar, but she assumed that it was the princess's. Both animals had saddlebags attached to them containing essentials for their quest.

"So, Zelda, where are we going first?" Link asked just as they reached the horses.

"Last night I planned out the order in which we should visit each spirit. I thought that you probably knew shortcuts I didn't, so I figured that I'd leave the route itself up to you," Princess Zelda explained, pulling out a map from the many folds of her cloak and handing it to Link. He examined it for a minute before nodding.

"Okay, I already know the shortest route there. We can probably get to the first spirit by midday. Maybe earlier if we move fast and don't run into any trouble," Link announced, handing the map back to the princess who accepted it and hid it away in her ebony cloak. The group then split apart heading towards different horses. It had been determined beforehand that the boys would ride together and the girls would do the same. Tetra followed the princess's instructions on how to mount the white horse and managed to do it without any assistance. Princess Zelda swung up onto the animal with practiced grace and Tetra held onto the saddle horn like she had been told, not particularly eager to fall off.

Link checked to make sure everyone was ready before letting Epona trot forward. Princess Zelda urged her horse to follow and they were headed towards their first destination. Since they had crossed a different section of Hyrule Field to get to the castle Tetra had had a chance to get over the initial shock of seeing so much land, but it still didn't cease to amaze her. She tried to stop her eyes from lingering too long or wandering too far so she wouldn't be questioned but glancing ahead she could see that Kid was in the same predicament. Tetra attempted to hide her fascination by painting a scowl on her face, but it was poorly constructed and fell apart rather quickly.

Trying to shake off the fact that this beautiful place would be flooded someday, Tetra decided to start up a conversation, "So, can these horses go any faster?"

"They can," Link replied, glancing back to look at her before returning his attention to the road ahead.

"Then make them go faster. At this rate, it'll take forever to get there," Tetra huffed.

"I'm only going slowly because you and Kid haven't rode horses before. I was going to build up to it, but if you think you can handle it now then just say so," Link said. His tone wasn't mocking in any way, but Tetra still felt angry with him. Speed wasn't going to kill them.

"We can handle it," Tetra insisted, resisting the urge to add a witty remark along with it. Link asked for Kid's confirmation before letting Epona break out into a canter. Princess Zelda's horse, Pegasus, followed suit and Tetra gripped the saddle horn tighter. She was surprised by the amount of power and speed the animal beneath her displayed, but she wasn't frightened by it like she thought she should be. In fact, it made her feel alive, more alert, and somehow invincible. It was a feeling she didn't get from sailing. She felt like she was almost flying. Almost. They had to go faster to feel that sensation. "Faster!" Tetra requested. At first she was unsure if Link had even heard her, but by some miracle he had, and Epona charged forward into a gallop. Pegasus gained speed soon after and Tetra couldn't focus on anything except for the makeshift wind slapping their faces. Now it felt like they were flying. She barely registered it as they entered a pass with rocky walls rising up on either side. Her surroundings were a blend of earthy tones in her mind now, too caught up in the moment to pay attention to petty details.

All too quickly the horses slowed down again to their original trot, leaving Tetra disappointed. The speed had been a welcome distraction preventing her from getting lost in her thoughts.

"So, Tetra, how did you like it?" Link queried, shouting a little to be heard since the distance between them was greater than it was when they had started.

Tetra refused to break her stone-hearted attitude and settled for replying indifferently, "It was okay." The conversation then dwindled down to nothing. Tetra kept herself alert for monsters but didn't catch sight of any. She had expected that they'd run into something by now. She supposed she should be happy that they hadn't come across any obstacles but instead it made her uneasy. If they weren't attacked straight off that meant that either they were being watched or that whoever was against them, if anyone, was planning something big. Which, from her experience, didn't bode well for them.

After about an hour they made it out of the pass and back into a field. A large bridge was visible in the distance. Tetra had thought that they'd be going over the bridge but instead Link turned left at a small fork in the road. A sign with what appeared to be cuccos on it, stood proudly near the beginning of the path, but Tetra couldn't make out a word, or a letter for that matter, on it.

"Where are you taking us?" Tetra asked Link, looking at the strange sign uncertainly, as if she expected it to sprout wings and fly away any second.

"Isn't it obvious? Read the sign," Link replied not bothering to turn around. Tetra stared at the sign a bit longer as they slowed down but didn't say anything.  _"'Read the_   _sign,' he says,"_  she thought to herself rolling her eyes,  _"Yeah, I would if I could. Thanks for the advice Captain Obvious."_

The horses came to a stop and the boys began dismounting. The girls did likewise and once everyone was on the ground Link gestured for them to follow him down the gently sloping path.

"Won't the horses run away if you leave them like that?" Kid wondered.

Link shook his head, "No, they'll stay there until we return." The group then followed in silence as Link led them down a series of wooden steps that curved to the right slightly. Before them was a purple building which Tetra found strange. Who painted a building purple? Link opened the door and they all filed in after him, Kid being the one to close the door since he had dropped back to walk next to Tetra. To the left a ladder led up to a second floor. Beyond that didn't seem to be anything of particular interest, aside from the five or six cuccos strutting about the room like they were important, occasionally stopping to peck at the floorboards.

"It's twenty rupees per person but-" Link began, turning around to address his companions.

Tetra wasted no time in cutting him off, "Twenty rupees for what?"

"To get down to Lake Hylia," Link replied curtly.

"Down? So…what costs twenty rupees to get down?" Tetra asked. Link just gestured to the cuccos in the room. Tetra quirked an eyebrow. They were going to glide down to a lake with cuccos? Why would that cost twenty rupees? Personally, Tetra thought that it should be free. She decided as Link led them further into the room that she wasn't going to give anyone a single rupee. There was no point. If it costs money to use a cucco then she could just jump into the lake, provided that it was directly beneath the building they were in. Surely no one would have the right to charge her for that.

As they reached the lighter portion of the room Tetra noticed for the first time the man who probably ran the cucco business. Suddenly, the purple building didn't seem as peculiar anymore.  _"Strange people they have here,"_  Tetra mused silently, disregarding whatever nonsense Link was going on about now,  _"Although, I guess I shouldn't be surprised. All the people, excluding Link, in Ordon have round ears instead of pointed. The guards are a joke and now to top it off there's a clown. What else should I have really expected judging from what I've seen so far?"_

Tetra shook her head slightly to clear her thoughts and grabbed the cucco nearest to her before approaching the eccentrically dressed stranger. He began to speak, but she paid no attention to his words and instead pushed past him without much effort. She supposed that he didn't get much rebellion from his "customers" and had little idea of how to deal with her actions.

"H-Hey, you have to pay for that you know…" the man sputtered, still trying to grasp the concept of what she was about to do and realizing his tragic inability to stop her.

"I'd like to see you make me," Tetra smirked. Those were her last words before she leaped off the tiny wooden platform hanging suspended over the lake. She only briefly heard shouting from behind her but didn't bother to look or listen hard enough to make out what was being said. She was too focused on figuring out where to land. Contrary to what she had said earlier, she didn't feel like getting wet. The weather was warm but still not as hot as it was at home. Her clothes would take considerably longer to dry here if she were to get them drenched in water.

Her eyes scanned the large expanse of water before her. The lake was massive but the sections of land were fairly obvious from the air. She noticed wooden bridges connected most of the pieces to each other to make travel on foot easier. Tetra spotted a large gray structure on one of the pieces of earth. She couldn't tell what it was, but if she had to guess she'd say that it was a cannon of some kind. If it was indeed a cannon, it was probably the strangest one she had ever seen for it appeared to have legs that could maneuver like a person's to some degree. She decided to land there since it was far away, and it was a big enough chunk of earth to give her time to descend to a safe distance where she could drop down.

Tetra waited until she was almost past the cannon-like structure before letting go of the cucco and dropping down to the ground. She landed expertly on her feet. As she turned around to see what had happened to her companions she was surprised to see two of the three coming towards her holding onto crazed cuccos of their own. Tetra moved out of the way so they had plenty of space to land. Once their feet touched the ground Tetra raised an eyebrow, "I didn't actually expect you to follow me that quickly."

"Never do that again," Link reprimanded, whirling around on his heel to face her.

"I don't take orders from you," Tetra replied, defiantly crossing her arms and adding, "or anyone for that matter. I fly solo. Plus, you're no better. For you to have gotten here as fast as you did, you had to have jumped after me, so you couldn't have paid either."

Link sighed, "I panicked, okay?"

"Mmhmm," Tetra hummed, not really satisfied with his explanation but deciding to let it slide, "and what's the princess's excuse?"

"Heights aren't my specialty and I preferred to get it over with," Princess Zelda explained nonchalantly.

"Where's Kid?" Tetra wondered.

Princess Zelda and Link looked around, apparently just noticing his absence.

"I thought he was right behind us…" Link muttered. They all directed their gaze to the sky. Kid was just jumping off of the platform with a cucco. When he reached them Tetra noticed the agitated expression on his face.

"What happened?" Tetra asked, holding back a laugh. She had a feeling that she knew exactly what had happened.

"You tell me! I wasn't informed that we were all jumping and being rebels!" Kid exclaimed.

"It wasn't the original plan," Link reminded him, shooting a disapproving look at Tetra.

"I had to pay eighty rupees to get down here!" Kid continued, his attention directed at Tetra who just smirked.

"Maybe that'll teach you to be faster next time," Tetra shrugged, clearly displaying her lack of sympathy.

"That's not right. Here, Kid," Link said, taking out two red rupees and four yellow from his wallet and handing it to the younger boy who accepted it hesitantly.

"It was twenty rupees per person. I was originally going to pay for all of us," Link admitted.

"Oh, thanks," Kid replied, stowing the money away in his own wallet.

"So, are we close to our destination yet?" Tetra queried, "You didn't even bother to tell us where we're going."

"We're going to Lanayru's Spring, and yes, we are close," Link answered her.

"Let's go then. Which way is it?" Tetra wanted to know, glancing around in an attempt to figure out where the spring was located on her own.

"Hold on," Princess Zelda cut in, "Shouldn't we take a break for lunch first? It is noon now."

"We can eat afterwards!" Tetra insisted, exasperated. They were so close that she couldn't even think of food at the moment even though she was a bit hungry.

"I'm not sure how long it will take. That's why I'm suggesting we eat now," Princess Zelda argued.

"I agree with her," Link commented.

" _Of course_ you _do,"_  Tetra thought silently, rolling her eyes.

"I've no problems with eating now. I didn't have breakfast," Kid remarked.

"Fine, we'll eat now, but after that we're going to the spring," Tetra surrendered. Link took out a bag of provisions that he had taken off of his horse earlier. He rummaged through it for a while before producing a loaf of bread and a jar of honey.

"I didn't pack the provisions," Princess Zelda interjected almost as if she was going to get blamed for something terrible, "The cook did and apparently he didn't know what type of food to pack."

"It's fine," Link assured her, "The bread should be good for two or three more days, and the honey will last longer than we'll need it to. Besides that, this isn't the only bag of food we have. I'm sure there's different stuff in the others." The small group then began to consume their modest lunch, some more ravenously than others.

"Hey, Link," Tetra spoke up, after she finished chewing.

"Hmm?" Link wondered, glancing up.

"What's that?" she asked, pointing to the large gray structure that towered over them.

Link swallowed before answering, "It's a sky cannon."

"Sky cannon?" Tetra repeated, a bit shocked that she had been correct, "What's it for?" As far as she could tell, it didn't seem to be aiming at anything in particular.

"It will shoot you up to the City in the Sky. That's where the Oocca race live," Link explained.

"What are…Oocca?" Tetra queried, unsure if she was pronouncing the name correctly.

"They're similar to yellow cuccos except that they have pale human-like heads," Link replied.

"That's really weird," Tetra stated wrinkling her nose as if she smelled something foul.

"Maybe," Link shrugged, seeming to agree with her and taking another bite of his lunch.

"Have you been up there before?" Kid wondered.

Link nodded, "Yeah. I wouldn't recommend it though. Most of the city is basically in ruins. It's really dangerous up there with all the sudden gusts of wind. They nearly blew me off countless times. Besides that, the air is kind of thin and it's freezing cold. Not as cold as Snowpeak but, it's close."

"If it's so unpleasant then why were you up there?" Tetra asked.

"There was something up there that I needed. I eventually got it. After I battled a dragon, of course," Link said coolly as if fighting dragons was something everyone did on a daily basis.

" _Now he's just trying too hard to impress us,"_  Tetra thought to herself. Aloud she said, "I'll believe  _that_  when I see proof."

"What kind of proof?" Link wondered, raising an eyebrow in question.

"That thing you said you needed. You claim that you got it after defeating the dragon, so show it to me and I'll believe you," Tetra declared.

"I don't have it anymore," Link admitted sheepishly, "If I did, I'd show it to you."

Tetra did believe that he had faced a dragon at some point since he was obviously a hero. However, she refused to play along with his game and remained indifferent.

"I believe you," Kid announced, smiling.

"Suck up," Tetra muttered under her breath. The banter among the group eventually died down and they finished their lunch. Link put the left overs back in the bag and stowed it away once again before motioning for them all to follow him. He led them across two wooden bridges that curved slightly and were built at an angle. The second bridge was much longer than the other and Tetra could see the water between the minuscule cracks in the carefully-placed boards.

When her foot next touched ground she was surprised to find that it was stone. Two stone pillars rose up to the right, transforming into snakes. On the left the stone was formed into a large arch that looked like the gaping mouth of a snake ready to devour its prey whole and without mercy. A small wooden sign also stood there, but much like the sign from earlier, she couldn't make out the words etched into it. Other than that, there wasn't much to look at.

"Is this it?" Kid inquired.

"Yup," Link confirmed, with a small nod of his head.

"Stop stalling already. Let's meet this spirit," Tetra proclaimed, tapping her foot impatiently. Link complied quicker than she had expected him to, and she soon found herself walking into the gaping maw of the petrified serpent. Now all she could do was hope that the creature didn't decide to snap its jaws shut.


	18. Silence at Lanayru's Spring

The cave that contained Lanayru's Spring was the same as Link remembered it. It was quiet yet not silent. Everything was serene. The water stood still and unwavering. The grass and various plants that grew inside were surprisingly lush for being cooped up in a cave for the duration of their fragile lives. No matter its peaceful appearance Link still clearly remembered the images he had been shown by the light spirit that resides here. He also distinctly recalled the events that had transpired in this very cave a little over a year ago. He swiftly shook the unwelcome memories out of his mind. He didn't have time to think about things like that right now.

"Where's the spirit?" Kid wondered.

"I must call on him now. To do that effectively I need everyone to be quiet," Princess Zelda replied, briefly glancing at Tetra before directing her attention ahead of her.

The small stare did not go unnoticed by the feisty girl, "What's that look supposed to mean?!" Tetra demanded, throwing her hands up in the air. No one offered an explanation, but Link figured by the annoyed look on her face that she knew exactly what it had been implying. She stayed silent though, just like the princess had requested.

Princess Zelda strolled over to stand on the small, narrow ledge that hung over the water a little. Link, Tetra, and Kid stayed a few feet away from her. They watched as their companion bowed her hooded head, why she didn't take the cloak off now, Link couldn't guess. Zelda stayed like that for a full minute before there was a small rumbling beneath their feet. The serpent-like spirit shot up out of the water like a geyser of light. Light carved symbols into the cave walls and crawled up nature-made pillars. The pool of water had seemed to change into a liquid sun. Despite the sudden illumination of the cave, the temperature did not rise. The air maintained its cool dampness. The light wasn't harsh on the eyes, and even though it was bright, it did not become blinding as long as you didn't allow your eyes to linger on one spot for too long.

Lanayru's voice echoed throughout the light filled chamber, "What business have you, Princess?"

Princess Zelda wasted no time in answering, clearly not intimidated by the serpent-like spirit before her, "My companions and I," she paused briefly to gesture at the three standing behind her before continuing, "have come to request your assistance."

"My assistance? In what, pray tell?" rumbled the light spirit. Link had to wonder how Lanayru could even speak with that orb of light in his jaws. It couldn't be easy to talk around.

"These two, along with their friends who are back at the castle, are lost and they were given a riddle by your brother, Faron, which is supposed to help them in getting home. The second part of the riddle mentioned 'reaching deep into the light' so I figured that it meant we had to speak with all of the light spirits and they would assist us in some way," Princess Zelda explained as she motioned for Tetra and Kid to step forward.

"Ah, I see. Faron had sent a message to all of the light spirits about this situation a day or so ago. As for the riddle, I know it even without hearing it. The goddess long ago blessed the riddle upon various sacred ears, hoping that this would help the message get passed along to whoever it is destined for. I do believe that Faron was correct in unleashing this knowledge now," Lanayru moved slightly, so he had a better view of the two children behind the princess. After seeming to scrutinize them for a little longer than was necessary, Lanayru repositioned himself so he was visibly addressing the entire group.

"Along with the riddle the goddess also bestowed upon us all instructions. I believe that these instructions pertain to the riddle. You see, each light spirit was long ago entrusted with a tear of one of the goddess's. The tear each of us possess is hidden away and cannot be stolen or given. It can only be obtained by defeating the guardian at the end of the temple it rests in. Evil has not and cannot touch the place. Ah, but I am getting ahead of myself. Before I can allow you entry to the temple you must first complete a trial to prove that you all really are the four chosen and are worthy of stepping into holy grounds. I shall send you into the trial myself. Climb up and go through the door. At the end of the hallway there is a circular platform. Step onto it and wait. I shall do the rest," Lanayru instructed.

"What's the trial?" Tetra asked, raising an eyebrow in question.

"I shall explain it once you are inside," Lanayru replied, seeming quite serious about how and when he disclosed his information. Tetra rolled her eyes but followed after Link, Princess Zelda, and Kid, who were already walking down one of the grassy slopes that hugged the walls. They all stopped at the bottom near the edge of the liquid gold and peered up at the vines hanging over the side of the ledge that the door was on. Link had no problem scaling it himself but with three other people lacking clawshots it would be more of a challenge.

Link opened up his items pouch and rummaged around inside it looking for the clawshots. He had decided that he would go first with one and give Zelda the other to use. Then they'd throw them down so Kid and Tetra could get up as well. However, it seemed that the two children had other things in mind and zipped right past Link and up onto the vines so fast that Link had trouble processing what exactly had just happened. Kid and Tetra scaled the vines as if they had done it a thousand times before, and when they reached the top Tetra called down, "Hurry up!" Their success in being up there in the first place seemed to be the blue-tinted metal hookshot Kid held firmly in his left hand.

 _"Why does he have a hookshot?"_ Link wondered silently, returning to his task of searching for his clawshots. He didn't understand so much about his new companions and wished that that was not the case. Hookshots weren't terribly common, and no one except for adventurers seemed to have much use for them. Did that mean that Kid was an adventurer? Link honestly didn't know what to think at this point. The two children just kept surprising him. Tetra with her feisty attitude and Kid with his ever increasing arsenal. Link finally managed to find his clawshots and removed them from the pouch they had been hidden in.

"Just aim, press the button here, and then let it pull you," Link instructed Princess Zelda, handing one of the clawshots to the princess. Even though they could technically do it the way that Kid and Tetra had with only one clawshot Link was sure that he knew the princess well enough to know that she valued her space and independence. Link went first to demonstrate and made it up to the ledge in a matter of seconds. Princess Zelda followed without an issue. Once she made it to the top she returned the clawshot to its rightful owner and Link led them through the door that Faron had indicated earlier. Once inside the small room, which was better classified as a hallway than an actual room, they continued to the very back where the chamber expanded enough so that they could all stand next to each other instead of in a line.

Before them Link expected to find the open treasure chests that he had collected the contents of so long ago but instead the middle of the circle was bare aside from a strange teal light splayed out like the petals of a fallen flower. They all stepped onto the circular platform and thus into the strange light like they had been instructed to. Then they waited. Nothing seemed to happen for a while. Just when Link was sure that Tetra was about to make some type of snide remark a sudden dizzy spell hit him and he sunk to his knees. He didn't seem to be the only one for he could tell by the small moans of his companions that they had felt it too. Link tried to shake it off like water but whatever the sensation was, it was persistent. He shut his eyes willing it to subside. To his surprise, it faded quickly along with all sound and he opened his eyes.

When he raised his head he had to blink a few times to test his vision which seemed to be tinted blue. Blinking seemed to have no effect, but the strange sight didn't seem to be obscuring his vision so he decided to ignore it and stood up. His companions were getting to their feet also, looking just as bewildered.

"Please tell me I'm not the only one seeing blue everywhere," Tetra said looking at everyone to confirm if she was crazy or not.

"You're not the only one. I see it too," Kid assured her. Link and Princess Zelda nodded their agreement. Before anything more could be said Lanayru's voice cut through the eerie silence that had made Link momentarily think he was deaf.

"Heed my words for they are of utmost importance. They will not and cannot be repeated. Therefore, please restrain yourselves from stepping out of the circle, for once you do our connection will be broken and you'll be at the mercy of the trial. With that said, welcome, chosen ones, to the ancient trial of the goddess. The Silent Realm. It is designed to test the spirit and mind, which is why you find yourselves defenseless at the moment."

At these words, Link noticed the lack of weight on his back, indicating the absence of his sword and shield. He'd seemed to be stripped of his items pouch and even his potions. Anything that he had been carrying was nowhere to be found, as if they had evaporated into thin air. His companions were also checking themselves and coming up empty-handed.

"Do not be distressed," Lanayru continued, "All of your weapons and items are still in your possession in the physical world. This trial takes place in a sacred world of spirits and to enter it is required that you be reduced to the essence of your being." Link looked at his hands and noticed that though he could feel and move them, they looked almost transparent. Suddenly a strange feeling that he could only describe as somewhere between tickling and numbness spread through his torso. He put his hands to his chest hoping it would end the new sensation. Instead a ball of white light floated out and the feeling vanished. The sphere burst and dropped an item in his awaiting hands.

It looked similar to the vessel of light he had used to collect the stolen light of the spirits when perpetual twilight threatened the kingdom. At the peak of the vessel was a white flower with nine silky petals. Stemming from the flower were fifteen small glass orbs. Glancing around him, he noticed that his companions each held an identical object in their hands.

"These plants are spirit vessels. They represent your spirits," Lanayru explained, "Scattered across this strange realm are sacred tears. To complete the trial you must collect them all and return here without getting caught by the guardians. If you are hit, even once, your spirit will shatter, and you'll fail the trial."

"So, we collect all of these "sacred tears" and then come back here, all while avoiding the guardians," Tetra summed up.

"Correct. Alas-" Lanayru replied, about to continue. Tetra, however, had other plans and had silently declared that any other information the great spirit had to offer was insignificant. She stepped over the glowing teal line that marked the edge of the circle. As soon as her foot touched down on the ground the world became animated and the petals of all of the flowers wilted immediately. The tranquil blue from before was painted over with a pulsing red and the circle they had been standing in disappeared altogether along with the eerie silence. Clanking sounds reverberated throughout the room, not seeming to have any tangible source and noise that sounded more like screeching than the music it was trying to be kept climbing up the scale in a haunting wail. Link couldn't tell if it was getting louder or if it was just his imagination.

Tetra, who had frozen as soon as the realm came alive, seemed to come to her senses and took a few steps back, probably hoping that it would stop the chaos. The circle that had been their protection was gone though, and it seemed that stepping back into it was not an option. They could only move forward now. He spotted one of the sacred tears up ahead in the doorway which was missing its door.

Gathering up whatever courage he possessed in his terror he ran for the golden tear. When he was almost there what must have been one of the guardians came through the wall to his right wielding dual scimitars. It made to take his head off in a downward x motion but being smaller and therefore quicker, he easily dodged it by rolling forward and continuing towards the tear. He reached it just as the guardian was about to attack him from behind. As soon as he touched the tear everything returned to how it was before Tetra had stepped out of the circle and the flying guardian disappeared. Link breathed a sigh of relief. One of the orbs on his spirit vessel was filled and the flower's petals had returned but seemed to be slowly wilting as the seconds ticked by.

Link glanced back to see his companions coming towards him and he turned around to address Tetra. "You have to learn to think before you act. We could've died just now and we still don't know everything about this place because you cut off our connection with Lanayru!" Link exclaimed. He was getting tired of being pulled into risky situations because of Tetra's impulsive behavior. He could understand her wanting to get home but rushing through everything wouldn't get them any closer.

"We can figure it out," Tetra shrugged, refusing to look at him.

Link was about to reply but Princess Zelda interrupted, "Look, we're supposed to work as a team here. That's one of the points of this trial. If it wasn't then I'm sure Lanayru would have sent us in one at a time. You two can quarrel all you want later, but right now we have a task to complete. There's no time for petty arguments. I think that these flowers indicate how much time we have before the guardians wake up again, so we should get moving if we don't want to go through that again."

Link certainly didn't want to relive that, and even if Tetra wouldn't admit it he knew that she had been scared out of her wits as well. He could reprimand her later if he thought it necessary, but for now Zelda was right. They needed to get going and stop wasting precious time. With their temporary truce decided they progressed with Link in the lead since he knew their surroundings the best out of everyone. Link spotted another tear far to the left in front of a guardian. The white sentry with robes of black and gold towered over him, maybe 9 feet tall. Even its mace was taller than him. Link approached it cautiously, but there was no need. It didn't seem to register his presence. He grabbed the tear and watched as it was added to his spirit vessel. It seemed to reset the flower as well.

There was an intricate purple fence put up around the edges so dropping down into the water below wasn't an option. The fence stopped short of the ledge with the vines on it that they had climbed up originally to reach the trial gate. They headed in that direction since it seemed to be the only place to go. A narrow piece of land had been added at the bottom so there wasn't any reason to get wet. Tetra started down the vines and Zelda went next. There were four other tears in the cave as far as Link could tell. Tetra had rushed forward to collect the tear closest to her when she touched solid ground. Kid climbed down the vines with Link close behind. Tetra quickly hopped across two small gaps to gather the tear placed on the farthest fraction of land. Once that was done their only option was to leave the cave since there didn't seem to be any tears left in this area.

The foursome stepped out of the cave and surveyed the twisted mirror image of Lake Hylia that they had unconsciously stumbled into. Link hadn't noticed it before since he hadn't been focused on the water in the spring but now that an expanse of the liquid stretched out before him he noticed that it looked different. It seemed to shift from a milky blue to clear to almost a red hue and back again. Two dormant guardians were posted across from them. Each stood in front of a serpent statue.

"What's this? Kid asked. He had been the first to step forward and collect the tear that had been in front of them and was now pointing to a small white sphere on the ground.

Link shrugged. He had no idea what it was.  _"If Tetra hadn't been so stupid we would have known what it was,"_  Link thought to himself. He quickly pushed the bitter thought away though. If he really thought about it her impulsive behavior was something he couldn't change. Through this entire journey they'd probably be thrust into even more dangerous situations than this because of it. He couldn't get mad at her every single time for something she had little control over. He untangled himself from his thoughts. He'd been getting too caught up in them lately.

Kid, who had been debating whether or not to risk it, touched the sphere. It disappeared almost immediately and vertical beams of golden light shot up all around them. Looking to his left Link noticed a beam close to them and walked over to it to find that it was a tear. He picked it up and smiled. This wasn't that hard. The tears were practically being given to them and with the use of the white spheres it was even simpler. Link noticed that there was another piece of land added so they didn't have to get into the water to swim to the next section. He let Princess Zelda grab the next tear since she had only obtained one so far. Kid called the following sacred tear which was on a separate island farther away. The water receded enough to show that there was a small winding trail of land leading to the tiny island. About five seconds later the water covered it again. Link didn't get the point of the water doing that in the first place. It was obvious even without the water moving that there was a pathway underneath.

Kid stepped onto the evident path and in doing so into the water. The world around them shattered in response, causing them all to jump and freeze in their tracks.

"Tetra what did you do!" Kid yelled running for the island and the tear that would muffle the madness for another ninety seconds.

"What did  _I_  do?! I didn't  _do_  anything!" Tetra shouted back, crossing her arms in an annoyed manner. Kid touched the next tear and it was automatically absorbed into his spirit vessel. The world around them returned to silence.

"What just happened?" Kid wanted to know turning around to face his companions for an explanation, "We had plenty of time left; I know we did."

"Time wasn't the issue," Princess Zelda answered, "It was the water. That must be why it's receding like that. The water in this realm must be some type of catalyst."

"Well, that's unfortunate, seeing as it's everywhere," Tetra commented gesturing around them.

"That just means we'll have to be more careful then," Link said watching as the water receded. Once the pathway was revealed he darted across it and joined Kid on the island. Tetra waited for the right moment before running over to join the boys. Princess Zelda was the last to make it over, and they turned to face the next obstacle. This one was exactly like the first. The water receded for five seconds before covering the land. The next island seemed to be smaller than the one they were currently standing on and the one after that was even smaller. They'd have to keep going instead of waiting for each other if they didn't want to risk accidentally touching the water. Tetra decided to take the next tear and dashed over to the island when the water revealed the path. She grabbed the tear with ease and was going to wait, but Link told her to keep going. The young girl nodded and complied, having no problems with continuing. Link followed her when it was clear. By the time they all made it to relative safety the beams of light indicating where the tears were located had faded.

This wasn't a problem though since there was another sphere in front of them which the princess had stopped Link from retrieving since she claimed that it was worthless to pick up limited items without needing them. Link had supposed she was right and let it be, collecting the tear ahead on the wooden platform instead while Princess Zelda collected the tear on the right and Kid collected the one to the left. After that was done they progressed to the left side of the island where three poe-like beings carrying lanterns seemed to be guarding a tear. Link had no idea what would happen if they stepped into their pool of light but whatever it was it probably wouldn't be good.

They seemed to dance around the sacred tear, dipping in the center close to it but never quite touching it and then shying away in synchronization. The ghosts then circled around switching positions and repeated the simple choreography. This would have to be timed well or they'd be caught.

"I'll do this one," Princess Zelda volunteered.

"Are you sure?" Link inquired. He had been planning in his head the best strategy to obtain it.

"Positive," she replied, "I'm good at timing things." With that the princess took a few cautious steps forward making sure to stay far enough away and to the side to stay just out of range of the lantern light. When the ghost moved away from the tear Princess Zelda took the opportunity to dart in and collect it. Then she stood as still as the guardians as the ghosts came closer and spun in a circle before getting close to her. The light was almost touching the princess but seemed to come up a centimeter too short. The ghosts pulled away and Princess Zelda progressed on to gather the tear further ahead. She reached it successfully and was making her way back to the others when her foot momentarily skimmed the edge of the light of one of the creatures. It made a jingling sound and started towards her. The princess tried to run in the opposite direction while still staying on a course towards her companions since if she turned back she would be cornering herself. Unfortunately the other ghosts were coming back in for the circling segment of their ritual and she ran right into the middle of another poe being's light. It rang its bell to wake up the sleeping sentries and disappeared into the air along with the others. Their vision turned red once again and an explosion of sounds tormented their ears.

Link, Kid, and Tetra had been waiting for the princess next to a guardian which, Link had to admit, might not have been his best decision. Link grasped for a sword which he did not have and cursed under his breath as he back flipped to avoid the attack. Kid and Tetra had rolled out of the way and were already running back the way they had come. They seemed to have exhausted the island they were on of all sacred tears so their only option was to backtrack and pray to come across a tear before anyone was struck.

"Come on, Link run!" Kid called over his shoulder. He didn't need to be told twice and ran towards the two children. Princess Zelda had had plenty of time to catch up to him and he grabbed her hand to urge her to run faster. The guardian was surprisingly swift. Up ahead was a flying guardian, and Link called out to admonish Kid and Tetra. They seemed to already know and broke off in different directions aware of the fact that it could only go after one of them at a time. It decided to go after Tetra and she screamed in fright as the blades just missed her.

This scare gave her more encouragement to run faster and she quickly outran the much slower guardian. Link watched as she ran across the islands and splashed through the water. It didn't matter if they touched it now anyway. The guardians were already awake. Kid seemed especially daring and followed after her, sliding under the flying enemy and rolling to his feet. The twin blades came down too late and missed their target.

The guardian pursuing Link and Zelda didn't seem to be as mobile for as soon as they stepped on the second small island it looked around as if it had lost sight of them. They both breathed a sigh of relief and made to continue when their world suddenly became encased in blue once again. Either Kid or Tetra must have found a tear. The pair vigilantly made their way to the others who were waiting patiently on the other side.

"Now  _that_  was not my fault," Tetra informed them.

Princess Zelda smiled and shook her head, "No, it was mine. Sorry about that. So much for good timing huh?"

"Next time, don't try to impress me," Link joked.

"Impress you? I was doing nothing of the sort," Princess Zelda replied defensively.

"Obviously," Link laughed.

"Shut up, Link," Princess Zelda retorted, pursing her lips in annoyance.

"Shut up? That doesn't sound like a royal insult," Link teased her. A while ago Link had found out that Zelda wasn't as cold as she seemed on the outside. If you gave her time she would eventually shed the formal skin she constantly wore and she turned out to be a very fun person to joke around with when that happened. Unfortunately, Zelda still had some adjusting to do before she revealed that side of herself in front of the others.

"Stop. This isn't the time to be messing around. We're wasting time. Let's go find another tear," Princess Zelda sighed trying to regain control of the situation, but Link could see her hiding a smile. He let it go because he knew that she was right. This wasn't exactly the best time to be teasing her anyway.

The group continued their search for tears and crossed the first wooden bridge they came to. Up ahead were two similar poe-like creatures patrolling near a sacred tear.

"I'll get this one," Link offered. The other three stayed back as Link stepped off of the wooden bridge and onto the island. Link watched the ghosts' patrol route. It was fairly simple and they never got very close to the tear. They mostly floated around the perimeter of the island. He waited for the closest ghost to pass him before darting in to collect the tear. While he was at it he also grabbed the white orb on the perimeter and golden beacons immediately shot up towards the sky.

They all made it over to the next bridge while avoiding the light of the lanterns with Link in the lead. The closest tear was on one of the posts of the bridge that connected the barrier. It was far too high for even Princess Zelda to reach, who was, in fact, a couple inches taller than Link. Trying to climb up the wooden barrier was impossible since there were no beams to serve as a proper support. Why the barriers were built so high, Link honestly had no idea.

"If I give one of you a boost will you be able to reach it?" Link asked, directing his question at Kid and Tetra. Kid stepped forward while Tetra hung back, hands on her hips. Link took that as a yes and stood next to the post, cupping his hands to create a makeshift step. Kid took a few steps back before getting a running start and stepping onto the boost that Link provided for him, letting the bounce in his step give him more height to grab the top of the post. He readjusted his grip and quickly took one hand off. He managed to touch the tear before he lost his grip. Kid landed on his feet and the tear found its way into his spirit vessel. That had been their twentieth sacred tear. That meant that they still had forty tears to find and collect.

Link sighed inwardly, thinking of how many more times they were likely to be pursued between now and the end of the trial. Up ahead was the sky cannon which Link was surprised to see since the realm wasn't an exact copy of Lake Hylia and the cannon was a fairly new addition to the vicinity. He noticed the golden glow of a tear behind it though and collected it after making sure the ghosts in the area were nowhere near it. While he did that Tetra wandered off to snatch a tear that she had spotted.

They all seemed to branch off in different directions then which left Link alone and wondering when they had all decided to split up. He headed in the direction of the first person he saw which happened to be Tetra who was in the process of climbing up a small incline to retrieve a sacred tear while giving one of the poe-like creatures as wide a berth as possible. Apparently this was not quite enough to satisfy the space hungry ghost and it caught Tetra in its light.

Everything flashed red and Link stumbled in surprise. To his right was a flying guardian which wasted no time in trying to end him. He was too stunned to do much but brace himself for whatever pain came with having your soul shattered into fragments. The dual blades were headed straight for him ready to pierce him. Time seemed to slow down and Link watched in horror as his doom grew ever more certain. Suddenly the guardian froze, its blades poised so close to his head that the smallest movement would deliver him to his grave.

The shift between eternal mayhem and fleeting peace was so quick that Link had to take a few seconds to realize that he wasn't dead. He relaxed and breathed a sigh of relief. That experience was the new definition of too close for comfort and he wasn't eager to relive it.

"Everyone get over here now!" Link shouted, cupping his hands over his mouth to make sure his voice projected out to all of his companions. They eventually complied, some more begrudgingly than others. Once they had all reunited Link continued his speech, "We are not splitting up anymore. It's too dangerous. I want to get out of here fast too and while splitting up would ensure that, it makes it more risky for all of us if the guardians wake up. I'm more concerned about getting out of here alive rather than seeing how fast we can finish, so can we all agree to not to wander too far away from each other?"

"Oh come on, it worked so well," Tetra complained, holding up her spirit vessel which had a total of ten glass orbs occupied, "What if we go in groups of two?"

'Stop being ridiculous. I'm serious. No more splitting up. Pairing up doesn't make it any safer," Link argued, rejecting the new preposition instantly.

Tetra huffed in exasperation and muttered something under her breath, but Link didn't care enough to try to figure out what she had said. Knowing Tetra, they weren't words that were pleasing to the ear. Everyone, more or less, was on the same page. Their brief moment of separation had earned them seven more tears.

The foursome progressed onward and collected the next five sacred tears by jumping from one island made platform to another with the threat of the peculiar water shifting below them. They gathered all of the tears on the cliff and by the time they were finished Link had obtained eight sacred tears. Princess Zelda and Kid were tied at nine each, and Tetra had the most with a total of eleven. They jumped down from the platform that was raised slightly higher than the others to the area where the sky cannon was positioned.

They then made their way up a wooden board to their right which acted as a small, slightly unstable bridge to a higher ledge where two tears rested. Link collected both of them as his companions started up the ladder where they knew they would find more sacred tears because of the tell-tale beacons that lit up a scattered path of the tears they sought.

Link followed them and made his way towards a tear that was placed behind the howling stone while the others grabbed the first tears they had spotted. Looking ahead he inspected the upcoming challenge. There seemed to be four of the poe-like beings scattered around the area and a total of six tears to retrieve. Link was also sure to note that there were two evenly spaced out mace wielding guardians that were bound to be a problem if they were awoken. The flying guardian was another thing to consider.

"Be careful," Link warned as Princess Zelda approached the first tear.

"Naturally," came the reply. The princess waited for the ghost to move away before stepping forward to retrieve the sacred tear. Once she had it she was forced to continue since turning back would alert the ghost who seemed to be quite persistent at its job of being a nuisance. She almost ran into the light of another poe-like creature but realized her mistake just in time to prevent it from detecting her. It drifted away, taking its circle of light with it, to meet up with another ghost. Princess Zelda took this opportunity to collect the tear that had previously been held captive in the spotlight.

She gracefully slipped past the two ghosts and found a rare patch of land that the lookouts' vision never examined. Kid, Tetra, and Link carefully picked their way through the maze, making sure to keep their footsteps as light as possible. One thing Link had noticed and later informed the rest of the group about was that the poe-like creatures seemed to be able to distinguish sounds and the louder they were in sneaking past them, the higher their chances of being caught were. Fortunately, they all made it to Princess Zelda without incident. A ghost circumnavigated the base of the tower and in doing so created a precarious situation for the foursome. According to the beacons, which had disappeared a few seconds ago, there was a tear on top of the tower, in the very back, and on the right side of it.

Link glanced at the flower on his spirit vessel. They had about twenty seconds before it wilted.

"I'll get the ones on the top. Someone else can grab the one at the top of the tower," Kid announced before tailing the poe being on its route around the tower, taking care to stay a safe distance in case it decided to stop suddenly. As soon as the ghost disappeared behind the tower Link started up the ladder, climbing faster when the creature drew close. It was slightly harder to climb with his spirit vessel clutched in one hand but somehow he managed to get to the top and touched the sacred tear. He peered over the edge, checking to make sure the way was clear. After confirming that it was, he slid down the ladder and reunited with the others.

Tetra picked up a white sphere from the ground before they started to make their way back. It seemed that the only tears left were near the Human- cannonball Ride, as it was dubbed by Fyer, that would eventually serve as their exit when they were finished their business at Lake Hylia. They were able to avoid all of the guardians on the way back and make it to the wooden bridge that led to the attraction. There was a tear up ahead which Tetra rushed forward to collect. There were no poe-like creatures visible but they proceeded onto the wooden dock with caution anyway. Kid touched the sacred tear in front of the structure and it was added to his collection. Princess Zelda collected the tear to the left side of the shack that was no longer as colorful as it normally was, having had adopted a dull blue tint like everything else in the Silent Realm.

They then began to jump across each poorly constructed floating log platform and retrieved a total of four tears in the process. What awaited them made Link's stomach drop. The floating structure that was the target for Falbi's Flight by Fowl game was crawling with ghosts and dormant guardians. A sacred tear was placed on every tier of the square pyramid except for the rotating platform on the very top where a flying guardian was perched.

"We should have done this first," Tetra observed, voicing what everyone else had been thinking. This obstacle was the most complicated and hazardous yet. However, they couldn't let that stop them. They were so close to completing the trial. A poe-like creature passed by them, and they waited anxiously for it to move away. Once it did they all leaped into action, jumping over the small gap between the new floating platform and the small one they had been standing on. Kid branched off slightly from the group to grab the lone tear next to the purple gate to their left. Once he had it in his possession he joined the others. The tiers of the pyramid were purposely too high for one person to climb up by themselves. After all, if they were easy to reach by normal methods anyone would be allowed to open the treasure chests containing prizes whether they had landed on the structure with a cucco or not.

Unfortunately, they did not have cuccos to use and could not reach the shack on the cliff side even if they were able to use the cannon since another intricate violet fence blocked off any possible landing. Instead they were quickly trying to give each other a boost to reach the next tear. Link lifted Tetra up despite her protests and she pulled herself up onto the next step of the square structure. She collected the tear on the far left of the platform being careful not to fall. Then she kept a wary eye on the ghost patrolling that tier as everyone else scrambled onto the higher ledge.

"It's coming; hurry up," Tetra ordered, not taking her eyes off of the enemy.

"We're here," Link spoke up, coming over and helping her up onto the next section which was smaller than the others had been. The poe-like creatures seemed to get faster the higher they went but that could have been an illusion caused by the lack of space.

By the time they were near the last tear everyone's spirit vessels were full except for Link's. They weren't positive that it mattered if someone whose vessel was full collected another tear they couldn't carry, but they decided to not test it out, so Link was the one who had to retrieve the final sacred tear.

"Don't mess up," Tetra smirked her encouragement as they all gave him a boost onto the smallest platform where a ghost had its back turned.

"If you haven't noticed by now. I'm the only one that hasn't set off an alarm," Link replied, pulling himself up onto the platform.

"Yeah, because you're  _so_  perfect," Tetra muttered rolling her eyes. Link ignored her sarcastic remark and touched the tear which was automatically pulled into his spirit vessel by an invisible hand. The ghost decided to turn around at the same moment and its lantern hung positioned over Link's head. A loud clanging bell sound emitted from the lantern and the ghost disappeared into the air as the realm came alive.

"You were saying?" Tetra raised her eyebrows, a contemptuous expression painted onto her features.

"Shut up and run!" Link commanded, jumping down and pushing her slightly in an attempt to get her to move. She did so without hesitation.

"How do we stop it?" Kid yelled, over the din of the unpleasant noise that now assailed their ears.

"We can't stop it now. That was the last tear, but Lanayru said that we had to return to where we first entered once we had collected everything so we should head there!" Tetra replied, ducking to elude the guardian who had swiped at her. They leaped across the floating platforms faster than seemed humanly possible and bolted back the way they had come. However their path was blocked by a guardian. It lifted its weapon up and brought it down in an attempt to hit Kid, who narrowly dodged it. Before their opponent had a chance to strike a second time the group of four sped past him, and over the wooden bridge that connected to the island the sky cannon was on. They veered right and Link was forced to side jump out of the way of an attack aimed at him by a nearby guardian. He quickly regained his footing and ran after his companions with two guardians not far behind.

They dashed for the next wooden bridge after hitting solid ground and nimbly dodging their new pursuer. Their feet pounded on the bridge like heavy rain on a roof but the added noise was barely audible among the roar of the Silent Realm's wailing siren. They made it to the spring's entrance and Tetra would have gotten hit if Link hadn't pulled her out of the way. He let go of her arm when he was sure she had regained her balance and could run without stumbling. They ran into the spring with Princess Zelda in the lead. She ran to the vines hanging over the side of the ledge and began to climb. Kid was right behind her.

Link risked a glance behind them and immediately regretted it. There were three guardians on foot and two flying ones who were penetrating the cave walls as if they were made of water. Link faced forward again and ran to catch up with the other two. Link and Tetra scaled the vines, which provided them relief from the enemies stranded on the ground with the inability to climb but exposed them to the airborne guardians. The pair made it to the top and spotted Princess Zelda and Kid waiting for them impatiently in the doorway. The guardian on the other side of the ledge took notice of them and started towards the group of four.

They didn't allow it to get very close and charged for the teal blossom that had magically materialized at the end of the hallway. Princess Zelda reached safety first, then Kid, and Link shortly after. Tetra was slightly farther behind and the guardian was almost upon her. She jumped just as it brought its weapon down, successfully getting out of range of the weapon and into the blue haven. The terrible noise had diminished and they were all left panting and trying to regain their composure.

Their spirit vessels all floated up out of their hands and formed into ivory buds which burst in a flash of white petals and revealed a new item which drifted down into their awaiting hands. Link examined his prize. He wasn't really sure what it was, but it looked like a necklace of some sort. He wondered about its value. The charms themselves didn't look too special. The largest one was shaped like some sort of scale and was a dark teal color that seemed to be reflecting water that was flowing inside of it. White, purple, and golden beads were also placed on the string as well as two red charms that resembled coral. He didn't have time to scrutinize it any further for it was then that another dizzy spell hit him. This time it didn't last nearly as long and when he opened his eyes his vision drank in a variety of dull colors. The best part was that none of them were blue or red.

He got to his feet still holding the necklace in his hand. His companions had received identical items. They made their way out of the room. Lanayru was waiting for them outside.

"I commend all of you for passing the trial. I know it was not an easy task, especially with your limited understanding of the trial. Nevertheless, it was completed and you were rewarded. The items you now hold are gifts from the goddess for the chosen ones. They are dragon scales from the water dragon that existed when time was still young. They will allow you to breathe underwater for an extended period of time. Your completion of the trial has unlocked the divine seal placed on the temple to obscure it from intruders. Nayru's tear is hidden in its depths. The temple entrance is at the bottom of my spring. I have done all I can. The rest is up to your performance. When you are ready, dive down and enter the Temple of Nayru, the goddess of wisdom, time, law, and order. Good luck, chosen ones," Lanayru then spiraled up to the ceiling and dove down into the golden water. The light that embraced the cave faded quickly and the four chosen were left alone.


	19. The Temple of Nayru

_Splash!_ Kid, after a small bout of hesitation, jumped down from the cliff after his best friend. Tetra had been the first to jump. What had compelled him to leap over the edge as well, he couldn't say. He, along with everyone else, needed some time to catch their breath from the terrifying trial they had just endured. Now wasn't the time to go waltzing into a temple blindly. Still, he had jumped anyway, and the laws that Nayru had set in motion at the beginning of time would not allow him to do anything but plummet toward the water below.

Kid hit the sparkling liquid with a bigger, if not just as impressive, splash as Tetra. He had expected to feel a sting as he shattered the thin protective layer cast over the liquid, but instead he slid through without any resistance. His eyes, which he had instinctively closed seconds before impact, did not burn like he expected them to, and though he was holding his breath a quick test through his nostrils told him that there was no need. When he opened his eyes, he saw why. Surrounding him was an air bubble, so transparent he almost didn't see it. The bubble of oxygen he was encased in outlined his body and if he concentrated he could see it slowly depleting, crawling ever closer to him. He figured that when he could no longer see the translucent outline, his supply of oxygen would be gone and there would be no barrier between him and the no doubt cold water.

He had wisely slipped the necklace on before jumping and so he assumed these were its affects unless of course, stumbling magically into the past had granted them crazy powers they were only now discovering. That was highly unlikely though, and while Kid told himself that it would be amazing if it were true, the notion in his head was sadly false. Another thing he noticed was that his clothes didn't cling to him as if they were wet. Kid knew the uncomfortable feeling that almost everyone on the Great Sea had learned to tolerate. It showed no signs of assailing him which he was actually finding to be grateful for since wet clothes and damp dungeons don't mix very well.

Ahead of him Tetra seemed to be testing out the limits of the new items, having had already gotten over the initial shock of being able to breath underwater. Sure, they had done it before, but not like this. Kid swam over to Tetra who was just completing an underwater backflip.

"Cool, huh?" Tetra said, her eyes locking onto his. Her voice sounded distorted and muffled. He had to take a second to process her words.

"Very," Kid agreed with a nod of his head, after realizing what she had said.

"You're voice sounds weird," Tetra commented.

"So does yours," Link assured her, grinning.  _Whoosh!_ Kid and Tetra turned around to face the culprit of the sound. Link floated there, quickly recovering from the realization that the necklaces did exactly what Lanayru had told them they did. He seemed to be more fascinated in the bubble around him rather than the actual breathing underwater part.

"Finally decided to join us huh?" Tetra smirked, directing her gaze at Link.

After a few seconds he made sense of her warbled words and replied, "Sure. I can't let you guys have all the fun can I?"

Well, you  _could_ ," Tetra shrugged her tone implying that she would rather not have him come along. Kid couldn't tell if Link picked up on the hostility towards him, but regardless Link chose to not say anything which, Kid felt, annoyed Tetra even more.

Attempting to change the subject before Tetra had another chance to open her mouth and cause a scene, Kid spoke up, "Where's Princess Zelda? Is she coming?"

It turned out that Princess Zelda claimed that she didn't want to get her cloak wet and therefore did not want to jump into the water even when her companions insisted that the water wouldn't even touch her. However, everyone else speculated that her reluctance was a result of her fear of heights. After much coaxing, and a couple insults, courtesy of Tetra, the threesome managed to persuade the princess who had shed her cloak to reveal her un-princess-like attire. She did not wear a dress, yet still wore her crown atop her head along with her golden armor. Her brunette hair hung in a single complex braid down her back. Instead of her fancy dress she wore a silky corset-like top with sleeves that came to her elbows. The sleeves ended in white lace while the rest of the top was a sky blue. She wore dark blue leggings and brown boots. A belt crafted from leather and woven with gold hugged her waist along with multiple pouches, their contents a complete mystery. A sheathed sword hung at her left hip. Overall, the attire was modest, yet the princess seemed out of place in it. Kid couldn't help but wonder if she was skilled with a sword or if was just for show.

The princess entered the water in the same fashion as the others and after a few minutes of getting used to the extraordinary ability they were granted they decided to continue on to the temple. By that time, they had figured out that if they stayed completely still underwater it took exactly ten minutes to run out of air. If they moved around underwater at a leisurely pace and didn't talk they had about five minutes before the blessed bubble abandoned them. Talking and any movements that demanded more energy, and in turn air, depleted their time drastically, so it was decided that they would all try to refrain from talking unless it was absolutely necessary.

Everyone returned to the surface once more to refill their oxygen supply Once that was done they dove down to the bottom of the spring where a hole had opened up. Curiously enough, the addition of it did nothing to the water level of the spring which Kid thought strange but as he neared the hole it became clear why. The left side of the opening pushed out water while the right took it in. This balance prevented the spring from being sucked dry or overflowing its banks. However, going against the current would require them to use up more precious oxygen than they'd like, so they were all forced to proceed in single file. Link went first followed by Tetra, Kid, and finally Princess Zelda.

The tunnel was straight for the first few minutes and then it began to curve to the right before straightening out again. After a couple more narrow turns and inconspicuous inclines they were all becoming short of breath. At first it hadn't been so bad because the water current had been pushing them, but the current had dulled after a while and now there was barely any force behind it. The only good thing about the lack of current was that they could move out of their single line formation.

Kid was becoming worried. There didn't seem to be an end to the tunnel and they were running out of time. He could barely distinguish where the transparent bubble was since it was so close to him. As they rounded yet another corner he swam into a large bubble that seemed to pop up out of nowhere. Instead of bursting like he had expected, the bubble was absorbed into his own, supplying him with more oxygen.

Fortunately everyone else had seen what had happened as soon as Kid had touched the bubble, so he didn't need to waste any of his regained breath explaining. Once everyone restocked, it turned out that the bubbles were produced from a fissure on the bottom of the tunnel and slowly floated up to the top from there, the foursome continued. They swam up steeper slopes and maneuvered through the winding tunnel with ease, being sure to pick up oxygen bubbles whenever the opportunity presented itself. Ten minutes later the tunnel widened to a point where it could be considered a room and not a measly passage.

One glance at the ceiling revealed that it was still present and this room did not grant them access to any type of surface. In the middle of the underwater room was a geyser. There was not another entrance to a tunnel in the room. The only visible opening was back the way they'd came. Since the geyser seemed to be their only option and no one wanted to waste oxygen on distorted words they all headed for the geyser. Tetra reached it first and as always wasted no time in leaping into it. Kid was right behind her and became alarmed when the water proved to be powerful and whisked her upwards. He grabbed her wrist before she could be taken away and they were both shot up the stream of water. The gray walls flew by in a blur and the room they were in was left behind in the blink of an eye. Kid was surprised when they didn't go crashing into the ceiling as the geyser took them higher. After what felt like forever but must have only been about a minute they were launched out of the water and onto a stone floor.

They were unprepared for the sudden appearance of solid ground and were therefore unable to stop themselves from tumbling to the floor. Tetra swiftly shook off Kid's hand which was still attached firmly to her wrist.

"A little warning would have been nice," Tetra muttered, standing up and dusting herself off.

"You can't complain. You're the one who jumped into it in the first place," Kid pointed out, getting to his feet.

Tetra was about to retort but didn't have time as Link was spit out of the geyser in the same manner they had been. They dodged to opposite sides to avoid being knocked down while Link somehow managed to land on his feet.

"Show off…" Tetra glowered, crossing her arms and glaring at Link who had stepped to the side anticipating the princess's arrival. Sure enough about ten seconds later Princess Zelda was discarded from the water and landed gracefully on her feet.

Turning his attention away from his companions, Kid surveyed the room. Stretching out before him was a stone floor that stopped and gave way to stairs. The stairs weren't so steep that he had to strain to see what was beyond them. There didn't seem to be much. A single door was positioned straight ahead while two waterfalls flanked each side of the walls, rushing water being continuously dumped in rectangular pools. A glance behind him proved that there was nothing of significance to note aside from the geyser that had brought them to the room.

In unspoken agreement the group of four made their way up the steps and towards the door, the rushing of the waterfalls drowning out the noises their feet made on the smooth stone. In the middle of the floor was an intricate circular carving of Nayru's symbol. They reached the door and Kid tried to make sense of the strange carvings etched into it. An upside down crescent was carved in the middle with a circle below it. The circle contained a single gleaming blue gem. Beneath the circle was a smaller crescent, successfully trapping the sphere in the center of the door. Seemingly random curving lines decorated the rest of the door.

"It looks kind of like a snake," Tetra commented, tilting her head to the side and staring at the door intently. Kid did likewise and after a few seconds he saw what Tetra had been talking about. It did look vaguely like a snake with its jaws wide open ready to swallow the orb in the center.

"Do you think it means something?" Link asked.

"I doubt it. It looks like it's an interpretation of Lanayru to me," Princess Zelda answered.

"Why would there be a carving of Lanayru on a door in a temple meant to protect something that belongs to a goddess?" Tetra questioned, not convinced.

"Well, other than the fact that Lanayru holds an orb of light in his jaws, Lanayru was also protecting this place which is said to hold a tear of the goddess herself, Nayru. The orb in the center must represent the temple and the gem inside the circle must represent the tear. As for the snake getting ready to devour the orb, it is simply a symbol meaning that Lanayru hid the place away, not necessarily in his stomach but in his spring," Princess Zelda explained as everyone gaped at her.

"Okay then, now that that's cleared up, is everyone ready to go?" Link inquired cutting through the swelling silence.

"Yes, open the door already," Tetra huffed impatiently as Kid and Princess Zelda nodded their agreement in a more polite manner. Link stepped forward and lifted up the door with ease. It slid into place into the doorframe on the ceiling and everyone walked through into the new room. As soon as the last person was through the door came down with an echoing  _BANG!_ They all jumped and whipped their heads around to look back. Slamming doors in temples or dungeons never meant anything good, as Kid had learned quickly on his previous quests. A metal grate had slid down over the stone door as well, successfully locking them inside.

Everyone tensed up ready to fight. After a full minute of nothing but their quiet breaths and pounding hearts to fill up the reigning silence no creature had showed itself. Despite this, Kid was still alert. It didn't mean anything if they didn't see an immediate threat. Sometimes you had to step farther into the room to get the danger to show itself. However, no one seemed willing to do that quite yet. After a few more agonizing moments of silence Link motioned for them all to remain where they were before taking a cautious step forward. When nothing presented itself he lowered his guard to see if that would trigger anything. The room remained dead.

"I don't think there's anything in here guys," Link announced, speaking slowly as if daring some entity to prove his words false.

"I still don't trust it," Tetra spoke up glancing around the circular room suspecting it to turn on them any second, "That door wouldn't close for no reason."

"And I agree with you but maybe it just slipped out of the frame. This place  _is_  old," Link replied.

"Yeah, and a metal grate came down as well. Not to mention it happened once everyone was inside. That seems a bit too convenient to be a coincidence," Tetra argued.

"Coincidence or not, we did come here for a reason. While we're here we might as well look around. I'm sure the tear is in here somewhere," Princess Zelda pointed out. They all nodded their agreement.

Kid took the moment of silence to gaze at his surroundings. They were in a circular room, the only grains of light spilling out of the unnecessarily massive hole in the middle of the ceiling. The room was dimly lit, making it impossible to see much else except for the shape of the room. Kid wandered around the area like everyone else and noticed that there were mine cart tracks on the floor. The strange thing was that they didn't seem to be built into the ground like normal tracks were. He followed alongside the wooden tracks, and nearly fell when the stone ended and the tracks continued. Kid realized his mistake just in time to prevent himself from putting his foot down on air. He backed up a couple steps and followed the tracks with his eyes. They spiraled down into darkness, making it impossible to tell where they ended.

"Hey! I found a tunnel!" Tetra called from behind him. Kid abandoned the unreachable tracks and made his way to where Tetra was standing. He reached her first and sure enough a large airy tunnel stood its ground behind her. Princess Zelda and Link joined them a few seconds later.

"Nice work Tetra," Link complimented her.

"Yeah, well, I wasn't really trying," Tetra shrugged, shaking off the compliment and turning towards the yawning mouth of the tunnel. Even though the light was dimer on the edges of the rooms and the tunnel was black as pitch Kid could make out tracks leading into it. Just as Kid was beginning to wonder how they would explore the unlit passage, Link pulled out a lantern and lit it. The surrounding area immediately became a little brighter.

Link led them into the wide tunnel, and they were sure to keep the wandering off to a minimum since he carried their only light source, which he kept attached to his belt so both his hands were free.

"Before I forget, I should probably mention that in the other room there was a plaque on the wall to the right of where we came in and it said, '  _To reach what you seek, unleash the guardian who sleeps from its chains and peer into its crystal eye. There the treasure weeps_ ,'" Princess Zelda recited.

"Well, you're the one with the wicked interpreting skills, what do you think it means?" Link queried, looking expectantly at the princess.

"I'm not exactly sure at the moment since we haven't explored the entire temple yet, but my guess is that when we do find the guardian we need to free it from something. The treasure must be the tear, so the tear is in the guardian's eye," Princess Zelda responded. A few minutes passed in silence as they walked deeper into the tunnel.

"What are these for?" Tetra wondered stepping over the rusted metal rail and onto the wooden tracks that had suddenly piqued her interest.

Kid shrugged, "I saw them in the other room too. They look like mine cart tracks, but they aren't secured to the ground, and I haven't seen any carts either."

"That's definitely peculiar," Princess Zelda commented gazing at the tracks as if they would give her the answers she sought.

"Tetra, get off of those," Link ordered, glancing back at the young pirate captain.

"Why?" she challenged him.

"Because we don't know if they're safe or not," Link answered.

"They're tracks. What are they going to do, start moving on their own?" Tetra retorted, crossing her arms across her chest.

"Of course not, that's ludicrous. Just do what I say," Link sighed, obviously tired of her rebellious attitude already.

Tetra begrudgingly complied and instead settled for annoying Link with mindless banter. They continued like this, Link and Tetra exchanging half-hearted insults, for about five minutes before being forced to stop.

Before them was a prodigious dark blue hued stone that spanned the width and height of the tunnel.

"Heave ho boys," Tetra joked gesturing to the stone blocking their path.

"I don't think it works that way," Kid said looking at his friend in doubt.

"No, there's something written here. I think it's a puzzle," Princess Zelda reported, gesturing for Link to bring the light closer.

"It says, 'When darkness falls, you're led astray, follow this eternal guide and you'll never lose your way. Below are eight panels of which you may only move one. This guide is lost. Direct it to where it once stood in relation to the sun,' Princess Zelda said, reading the carved script carefully.

They all directed their attention to the five by three panel below the riddle. In the top left corner was a square panel with what looked to be a crescent moon carved into it. On the top left corner panel the carving was hard to make out but Kid decided that it was supposed to resemble a cloud. On the bottom left corner was another panel, this one with the outline of a raindrop in it. The bottom right corner held another panel with a jagged bolt of lightning etched into the stone. In the very middle was a square panel with a four point star. To the right of it was another panel that had a sun symbol on it. To the left of the star was another sun symbol but it was slightly different from the first because the carving was towards the bottom of the square instead of in the middle. Finally, the last panel which was housed directly under the star, boasted a carving of what appeared to be a spotlight. The remaining seven spaces were empty, waiting with anticipation to be filled.

"Well, we can rule out the cloud and the raindrop because they don't produce any light and if you're in darkness you won't be following either of them," Link started, pointing to both panels in turn.

"And we can get rid of the lightning bolt as well since it isn't there long enough to guide you anywhere," Princess Zelda added.

"And also the spotlight because the riddle said 'eternal guide' and a spotlight can be turned on and off," Tetra continued, eliminating yet another panel.

"That leaves the two suns, the moon, and the star…." Kid puzzled trailing off and wishing that he could read the hylian script in front of him for himself to see if there was something he was missing.

"As far as I'm concerned, they're all guides," Link remarked, frowning at the lack of sense the puzzle seemed to be making.

"Well, it wouldn't ask us to move either of the suns since its asking us to put the guide in its rightful place in relation to the sun," Princess Zelda pointed out. Kid stared at the panels intently. If they could move multiple panels as many times as they liked Kid could see it working. However, only being able to move one in one direction seemed to make no sense at all.

"Hey wait a minute!" Tetra exclaimed, seeming to realize something.

"What?" Link wanted to know.

"Look at the suns," Tetra demanded, "The sun that's carved in the middle of the right panel is rising and the one on the left is lower, showing that it's the sun setting. The sun rises in the East and sets in the West. Then look at the spotlight. It's not really a spotlight. It's a symbol for the Southern Lights. So that means we have East, South, and West. What's missing is North. The star in the center is the Northern Star. That's our guide. Everything else is already arranged as a compass so naturally the guide's spot is in the North. That means we do this," Tetra declared stepping forward and pushing the star panel up one space. It clicked into place and the carvings lit up with a pale blue light.

Tetra stepped back, wary of what the stone would do next. The blue light snaked up the dark blue stone and it was soon consumed in a bright neon light. Everyone turned away to shield their eyes and only when the tunnel grew noticeably dimmer did they risk a glance. The stone had disappeared as if it had never existed and before them stretched out more tracks that curved to the left at the end and disappeared behind a rocky wall.

"How did you figure that one out?" Link asked Tetra as they continued through the tunnel.

Tetra shrugged, "I used my brain. That's kind of the point of puzzles, you know?"

"That's not what I meant," Link pressed.

"Well, it's the only answer you're getting so deal with it," Tetra replied, stretching her arms and tucking them behind her head, "I don't see why it matters anyway. You're just shocked that I'm smart. Is that it?"

"What? No. I never accused you of being stupid," Link denied, shaking his head. Here the conversation petered out but Princess Zelda started it again before the silence could overwhelm them.

"I've been wondering, what are Southern Lights?" Everyone looked to Tetra for the answer. Kid hadn't even heard of them before until Tetra had mentioned them.

"I haven't seen them for myself, but I heard about them from some travelers once a few years ago. Apparently far to the south there are colored lights that appear in the sky sometimes," Tetra explained as they turned another corner that curved to the right instead of the left.

"I'd like to see that," Kid commented.

"Me too," Tetra admitted. Nothing more was said on the matter because they caught sight of the end of the tunnel and everyone broke into a run to reach it first. Link had gotten a head start and made it into the new room first, but Kid was right behind him. He was surprised to enter a room that looked almost identical to the first. It was circular, just like the last one with floors of smooth stone and jagged rock walls that could somehow be described as neat. The tracks had stopped at the end of the tunnel, but looking immediately to the left Kid noticed that they started again, beginning to wrap around, but the floor ceasing to exist before it can get too far, and the track continuing its winding descent into pitch black. Small rays of sunlight filtered in through the distinct hole in the ceiling and ahead of them, positioned slightly to the right was the entrance to another tunnel where Kid noticed that more tracks began.

The girls had caught up to them by then and they slowly made their way to the other tunnel. Nothing made to challenge them and there was little to note in the room. With no choice but to progress they moved forward and entered the tunnel. Again, Link used his lantern to light the way for them. After a few minutes of walking along the tunnel that seemed to be an extended curve to the right they came to a fork. The tracks were no help in determining which way was correct since they continued down both passages.

Link kneeled down in front of a stone set against the wall in the middle where the tunnel branched off in separate directions.

"It says, 'Consult the map to find the true path'..." Link trailed off.

"Is that all it says?" Tetra inquired, looking at the poorly illuminated stone doubtfully.

"Yes. That's all it gives us," Link confirmed, re-reading the words silently to make sure he hadn't missed anything.

"Did we miss something in one of the other rooms? A chest? A plaque?" Kid wondered. They hadn't come across a map and the rooms they'd been in so far hadn't provided them with much of anything.

"I don't think we did, but it's possible. Maybe there was a map in the last tunnel and we just didn't see it," Link suggested, standing up and turning to his companions.

"There could be a map in here somewhere, raise the light, Link," Princess Zelda commanded. Link raised his lantern and they all gazed at the ceiling searching for some indicator of a map but a blank rocky surface greeted them. Link swept the light over the surrounding walls and even the floor but no one could see anything that resembled a map.

"Why don't two of us head down the left path and two head down the right path? Then we'll be able to see which one's correct," Tetra proposed.

"I don't think that's a good idea. What if the wrong one is rigged to collapse or something? Then we'd be in trouble," Link interjected.

"Okay, fine. What do we do then? Do you really want to backtrack? I don't think we missed anything. This place is pretty empty, if you haven't noticed by now. We would have seen a map if there was one," Tetra insisted. Kid was beginning to agree with her. It would have been hard to miss anything unless they had done it deliberately. They must have seen a map somewhere in this place, but maybe it didn't register as a map at the time. Kid tried to think back to the layout of the temple so far and any puzzles or items that had attracted their interest. The puzzle that they had solved in the other tunnel had been shaped like a rectangle and the temple certainly wasn't. Even if he left out the blank spaces the panels were still square, and putting them together in the end result or their original positions did little to resemble the temple layout.

He hadn't seen the plaque that Princess Zelda had read the first riddle off of, but he doubted that it had any significance aside from the riddle it contained. There had to be something else that he was missing. There had to be more to note.

' _Think back farther_ ,' he silently willed himself, ' _Think back to before the door slammed shut. What was in that room?'_

Kid remembered the geyser that had spit them out and the two waterfalls spilling into separate pools. Then there was the door with the strange carving of a snake creature that they had determined to be Lanayru, and there was something else that was evading him. Kid gasped upon realizing what it was which caused his companions to turn to him in question.

"There was a map," Kid announced.

"Really? Where?" Tetra wanted to know, hands on hips.

"In the very first room that we entered, the one with the geyser, there was a carving on the floor of Nayru's symbol. I overlooked it at the time because it didn't seem too unusual to see Nayru's symbol in a temple made to protect something of Nayru's, but now that I think about it, the symbol was a bit more complicated than it usually is. There were lines connecting the circles. I think that they represented the tunnels. So the map, more or less, is Nayru's symbol," Kid explained, proud that he had figured it out.

"Do you remember the lines?" Link asked, hopefully.

Kid frowned at that. He hadn't stared at the thing long enough for it to imprint itself in his mind.

"He doesn't need to remember it. If it is Nayru's symbol then all we need to think about is what path would cause us to circle around, which, in this case, would be the right path," Princess Zelda spoke up, indicating the right passage with a nod of her head.

"It figures that the right path is the right path," Tetra quipped as they progressed down the tunnel. It took about ten more minutes until they could see the end of the passage. This time, no one was surprised when they stepped out of the tunnel and into yet another circular room with the same features as the last. The foursome entered the next tunnel and after a while they were stopped by another puzzle. A stone slab that took up the entire width and height of the passage stood defiantly in their way. Link brought the lantern closer so everyone could see the words, or what looked more like gibberish to the two youngest members of the group, written on it.

Thankfully for Kid and Tetra, Princess Zelda chose to read it out loud, " **State the answer to this riddle and the path will be clear.**   _Those who don't want it should have it. Those who don't need it have it. Those who need it don't have it. Most are deprived of it. Some seek it, and those who think they need it will go to great lengths to get it. What is it?_ "

"Um…money?" Tetra hazarded a guess. The stone stood still, standing lifeless and cold in front of them. Kid opened his mouth to put in his own guess since they didn't seem to be penalized for wrong answers, but the tunnel was suddenly plunged into darkness and he wondered if he had gone blind for a second.

"Tell me that I'm not the only one that can't see anything," Tetra pleaded.

"The oil in my lantern ran out," Link's voice said through the blackness.

"I trust you were sensible enough to bring a refill," Princess Zelda spoke up calmly.

Link laughed weakly, "Yeah…about that…"

"You've got to be kidding me!" Tetra exclaimed in exasperation, "If I could see where you are right now I'd slap you."

"Pretty bold threat there Tetra," Link taunted.

"Would you two stop? Link, please tell me that you're joking," Princess Zelda requested.

"You want me to lie, Princess?" Link asked, his voice somewhere between incredulous and sarcastic.

"No…I'm just hoping that you're joking…" Princess Zelda replied lamely, trying hard to keep the desperation creeping into her voice at bay.

"That makes two of us," Link sighed.

"Do you have anything else that makes light?" Kid wondered.

"No," Link responded, dejectedly. Kid didn't know what to do. The darkness was so great that his eyes refused to adjust. Just as the girls started to panic, despite their resolve to stay calm, and Kid was wondering if turning back was an option, the surrounding area was bathed in familiar orange light. Kid, who had directed his gaze to the floor while thinking, raised his head to see Link smiling and holding his lit lantern in one hand and an empty bottle in the other.

"I got all of you!" Link laughed in victory, "I can't believe you all fell for that. I always bring extra lantern oil with me."

"You little…that's no fair!" Tetra cried, stamping her foot in frustration.

"What? Don't do that! You sounded like you were serious. I thought we would be stuck here forever!" Kid exclaimed, exaggerating a bit more than necessary, but no one seemed to mind.

"You conniving little lowlife! Why would you do that?!" Princess Zelda shouted, "I should've known too! You never address me as 'Princess' unless you're being frivolous."

"I did it because I thought it would be funny," Link answered truthfully, "Which it was."

"For you maybe," Princess Zelda shot back.

"Calm down, Princess. Take a joke. I don't favor his sense of humor either but he didn't harm anything so…." Tetra trailed off feeling that she'd said enough to get the point across.

"Yeah, it was just a joke," Kid agreed trying to calm the princess as well.

"What they said," Link interjected, "Plus, the longer we argue here, the longer this puzzle goes unsolved, and the longer this oil burns. If we take too long it could burn out again and that time I promise that I won't be joking if I say that I don't have a refill because I really won't."

Princess Zelda sighed in defeat and looked back to the riddle. A few moments passed in silence until Princess Zelda spoke up again, "The answer is power."

As soon as the last syllable left her lips the hylian written on the stone glowed a neon blue and sapphire lines streaked up the entire stone as if they were being chased by an invisible force. They turned away as the stone was absorbed in light and dared to uncover their eyes when the light had faded. The stone was no longer standing in their way, and they could progress. They did so cautiously for they noticed an object up ahead on the tracks. As they neared it, Link raised the light in an attempt to cast its artificial rays on the object. It looked to be made of wood and Tetra jogged up to it before anyone could stop her.

"Finally these tracks make sense," Tetra breathed a sigh of relief. Kid joined her and realized that the object in front of them was a wooden mine cart. It was larger than the ones he had seen before and would probably be able to fit them all if necessary.

"Should we take it?" Link wondered.

"I don't see why we wouldn't. It must serve some type of purpose since there are tracks laid down almost everywhere in the temple," Princess Zelda voiced her opinion.

"It's decided! We take it. Come on, Kid, help me push," Tetra ordered motioning for him to join her. Kid stepped over the rail and got behind the cart. They began to push and were both surprised to find that it rolled smoothly with little resistance. While the track itself seemed to be a little rusted, the metal wheels on the cart were not. Link walked on the side of the tracks a little bit ahead of them to light the way while Princess Zelda walked beside them. After a few minutes Link ordered the pair to stop, and they complied without complaint. He went on ahead where they could clearly see the mouth of the tunnel. Link came back to report that the end of the tunnel was set into the wall so there was a bit of a drop.

Tetra and Kid continued to push the cart and let it go once Link assured them that it would fall over the edge. The mine cart hit the ground with a resounding  _thud!_ They all peered over the edge. The cart had landed upside down which was actually perfect since it would allow them an easy way down from the high ledge. Tetra lowered herself with her hands and then let go, bracing herself for the small drop that the cart didn't cover. She landed on the overturned cart with ease and jumped down to the stone floor. Kid went next, not anticipating how unstable the cart was when upside down and nearly face planting onto the floor but catching himself at the last second while Tetra smirked at his lack of balance. Link followed soon after and Princess Zelda joined them last, with Link helping her down from the wobbly mine cart in an attempt to apologize for the stress he had forced upon her earlier. The princess seemed to be forgiving enough but Kid caught a look in her eyes that strictly said, 'Never do that again.'

They righted the cart and wheeled it over to the tracks that weren't too far away. It had turned out that the temple really was constructed to resemble the Goddess of Wisdom's famous symbol and the last tunnel had led them back to the first circular room they had entered. Unfortunately, solving the puzzles hadn't unlocked the door as Kid had hoped, but they did get a mine cart out of it, so they could explore the underground portion of the temple, or at least that's what Kid assumed it was since the tracks spiraled down.

The mine cart clicked into the rails and they pushed it as close to the drop off point as they could without it threatening to leave without them inside.

"We'll have to distribute the weight so the cart doesn't capsize while we're in it," Princess Zelda reminded them.

"Okay, what do you suggest then?" Kid queried turning to the princess.

"I'd say the lightest person in the front, and then someone heavier to balance it out, then the second lightest, and then another person that weighs more," Princess Zelda elucidated.

"I guess that puts me first," Tetra said hopping onto the metal support for the wheels at the bottom of the cart and climbing over the rim.

"I think that Link is next and I'll be last," Princess Zelda added helpfully.

"No!" Tetra protested as Link made to get in the cart.

"What's the matter now?" Link asked, "Do you have a problem with me riding behind you or something?"

"No, that's not it," Tetra shook her head, "You have your lantern lit and this thing is made of wood. Wood and fire do not mix. Put it away."

"But it's dark down there," Link objected, pointing to the hole that the tracks led down into, "How do you expect us to see?"

"I don't. I'd rather be in complete darkness than burned alive in a rickety mine cart. You don't know that it's completely dark down there. Who knows, there could be some light source that we don't know about," Tetra pointed out.

"Fine," Link sighed, putting out his lantern and stored it away. Tetra then let him climb inside the cart without any objections. Kid stepped onto the metal support like Tetra had done and heaved himself up and over the rim of the cart. Princess Zelda climbed in behind him, and Kid was surprised to find that they all still had plenty of room to move around.

"I can give us a small push if we need it," Princess Zelda volunteered. Kid couldn't tell how far away they were from the edge since Link was taller than him and peering around the older boy in a cramped space wasn't exactly the easiest task.

"I think we might need it," Tetra reported.

"We definitely need a little push," Link confirmed glancing behind him at the Princess, "We're a few inches away from where it begins to dip down."

Princess Zelda nodded and Kid turned his head to see what she would do. He didn't think that she was strong enough to push the cart with all of them inside it. This didn't seem to be how Princess Zelda aimed to complete the task though. She kept one hand gripped on the side of the cart while she faced the palm of her free hand behind them. Kid watched in amazement as a sudden gust of wind erupted from her open palm and the cart lurched forward. Kid instinctively grabbed the sides as they literally shot down the swirl of track while Link yelled, "Zelda I said a little push!"

"Sorry!" Princess Zelda, who was now facing forward and gripping both sides of the cart tightly, apologized as they swiftly left the dimly lit circular room behind and darkness greeted them. After a few seconds in complete darkness Kid lost all sense of direction. He had a feeling that they were still on the helix, but he couldn't be sure. All he felt was cold makeshift wind whipping the sides of his face.

Without warning the cart bumped over something and clicked as if it had suddenly switched to another track. Their speed diminished only slightly and Kid tried to concentrate on which way the track might be leading them by leaning to whichever side seemed to be demanding his attention. Eventually the cart slowed and they were all pitched forward as it came to an abrupt stop. Kid struggled to retain his footing and prevent himself from crashing into Link's back. Link had apparently been throw into Tetra judging by her irritated grumble of "Watch it" and Link's mumbled apology.

"There's a barrier in front of me I think," Tetra announced.

"How do you know?" Kid wondered. He couldn't see anything.

"Because I'm touching it, stupid," Tetra answered him.

"Do we get out?" Link asked no one in particular.

Kid looked to both sides. Darkness waved back at him. No surprise there. He turned around to see a dancing blue flame. Again no surpri-wait…blue flame? Kid whipped his head back around to see nothing but black. He rubbed his eyes. Was he so desperate for light that he was imagining it now? No. There was a blue ember that floated down a little ways away. Something compelled him to look up and once he did he instantly regretted it.

The dancing blue flames were eyes that belonged to the colossal red armored head of a serpent. What looked like golden tracks ran down its head to the end of its nose. A blue gem was set into the middle of the golden section of its skull. Copper tinged frills were spread out to either side of its head, making it appear even more intimidating. Kid noticed that its head seemed to be attached to the tracks as it swayed slowly back and forth eyeing him as if trying to decide which angle would be the best to strike at.

"Guys," Kid whispered, not daring to take his eyes off of the serpent-like creature.

"What is it?" Tetra asked, a bit annoyed that he had interrupted the heated argument she had been having with their fellow companions seconds before about whether or not they should leave the cart.

"I think I found the guardian," Kid stated.

"Really? Where?" Link wondered.

Kid gulped, "We're on it."


	20. The Serpent of Sagacity

The blackness was cut through with a soft blue glow, the strange light driving the darkness away and breathing life into intimidating shadows. The blue light started at the neck of the serpent and continued following the rest of the track it was connected to until finally stopping at the tail. Darkness still pressed in from all sides, but it lingered at the edge of the new light source threatening to spill over the tracks, or rather the guardian's body, once again.

The serpent let out a screech of displeasure and shot over their heads, surprisingly not striking like everyone had anticipated. Little did they know that it actually was a form of attack. The mine cart that they were in was jerked back into motion as the guardian's body followed in its wake. Tetra gripped the front of the cart as they were pulled backwards against their will. How in the world were they supposed to fight the thing if they could barely see and were at the mercy of its erratic movements?

"Does anyone have an idea?" Princess Zelda dared to ask, trying to snap them all out of whatever trance the serpent had temporarily put them in.

"Not at the moment, no," Link replied, gritting his teeth as the cart screeched around a sharp turn, nearly capsizing them.

"Hold on for dear life," Kid supplied.

"Yeah, thanks. I wish I thought of that one sooner," Tetra rolled her eyes, sarcasm dripping from her words. After a few more wrenching turns and fruitless wracking their brains for ideas the track's glow became duller and the guardian's body began to drop out of the air. Thankfully, they didn't have a long way to fall and were on the ground before they knew what had happened. Unfortunately the serpent head seemed to still be active judging by the bright blue glow zipping around above their heads. The fall had wrestled the cart free of the rails that had been holding it captive to the track, and it also caused the cart to discard its passengers who were just now getting to their feet.

"Did it do that on purpose? I thought the track was its body," Kid wondered.

"Don't know, but at least we know that attacking the tracks isn't going to get rid of it," Tetra shrugged, peering up at the creature who seemed to be going in circles as if vying for their attention.

Link and Princess Zelda righted the cart in the meager light. "It looks like it is beckoning us to follow, doesn't it?" Princess Zelda spoke up indicating the armored head with a small nod. Everyone directed their attention to the inky sky. It did seem to be waiting for them.

 _'Does it want to kill us or play with us?_ ' Tetra pondered to herself, crossing her arms in annoyance.

"Come on then," Link encouraged them starting to push the cart towards the guardian, "If it wants us over there then we'll please it. Who knows, maybe it'll give us the tear for obedience."

"I really doubt that," Tetra muttered as they all followed Link, who had taken out his lantern again much to her chagrin. They weren't inside anything that could burn though, so she decided to keep her mouth shut until he attempted to climb inside the wooden cart again. The guardian kept a few paces ahead of them, always spinning around in circles. Eventually the cart clicked into place on a new set of tracks. The guardian stopped abruptly in its predictable circuit. It then shot up into the dark, disappearing until it was barely a speck.

Familiar sapphire runes began to consume the track, outlining it and allowing them to see that it spiraled up into the sky. The blue glow was rapidly making its way down the dizzying spiral towards them.

"Get in the cart, quick!" Link ordered, snuffing out his lantern and hastily stowing it away. There wasn't any time to think so Tetra complied, climbing into the cart as swiftly as possible. Yet, if time was not of the essence Tetra would have refused. She would have questioned the serpent's behavior and come to the realization that the guardian was willingly allowing them onto its body, and that only ever meant one thing. It meant that it was a trap. However, Tetra realized this just as the blue light consumed the entire track, and she was thrown roughly forward as the guardian pulled its new skin out of the black pit.

Tetra dared a glance behind her, wondering why they hadn't been thrown off the end of the track yet, seeing as there was nothing to stop them from doing so this time. She was surprised to witness the princess using what she supposed was magic, gusts of wind flying out of her hand and giving them a respectable distance from the end of the track.

 _'She can use magic?!'_ Tetra wondered, bewildered as she faced forward again. The most magic she had ever performed was light arrows and they weren't nearly as powerful as they were fantasized to be. Tetra knew that her magic came from her Triforce piece and she knew that Princess Zelda had to possess it as well. If she could do that then was it possible for Tetra to do the same? Link and Kid seemed to be almost matched in their skills, so why was there such a dramatic difference in hers and the princess'?

Tetra sighed inwardly, shaking the thoughts away as her hungry eyes drank in light, famished after being deprived of the necessity in the dark. The light that struck her dark blue eyes was the same dim beams of sun from before. They seemed to be in the same room that they had descended into the darkness from.

"I think I have an idea," Princess Zelda announced, raising her voice to be heard over the rushing of the artificial wind around them.

"Go for it, I've got nothing," Link invited her.

"The head seems to be the guardian's power source so if we take it out we can stop it," Princess Zelda explained.

"But how do we take it out? It's covered in armor. We can't burn it or even make a dent in it," Kid pointed out.

"We don't have to," Princess Zelda replied confidently, "All we need to do is take out the power source, which isn't exactly the head because the power source is  _inside_  the head."

"I'm not sure I follow you…" Link trailed off.

"What I'm trying to say is that Nayru's tear  _is_  the power source. That's what's giving life to the guardian. The tear is in its eye according to the riddle I read on the plaque earlier, so that means we need to get to the head to grab it. Once we have it, the guardian should stop and we'll have our prize," Princess Zelda clarified.

"Oh, I get it now. Yeah, let's do it," Link nodded, determination written on his face. Princess Zelda used her magic to give them a speed boost whenever the track leveled out or they were forced into an incline. The serpent-like creature seemed to have a penchant for circles and wound its body in a loose coil that covered the entire room. In no time they were nearing the head. After the next hill they'd be on it. Tetra leaned forward in anticipation. She was finding the battle thrilling and thought that it'd almost be fun if it didn't threaten their lives. At the peak of the hill, Tetra noticed an issue that sent the small triumphant smile gracing her lips into nonexistence. The drop was the highest one yet, but that wasn't what worried her. The back of the head of the serpent was open. The cart wouldn't glide smoothly onto the golden tracks fixated into its skull like she had imagined. Instead, it would glide straight underneath the desired tracks onto red ones. In other words, this course would land them in the creature's mouth.

The metal rim of the cart pressed harshly against her palms as she squeezed it in a death grip. A scream was caught in her throat and her heart raced at the realization that she couldn't make a sound as gravity pulled them down, chastising them for attempting to touch the heavens. Just as Tetra feared that she had lost her ability to breathe as well as her voice, the track leveled out and they flew into the tunnel-like head of the guardian.

"SLOW DOWN!" Tetra cried. At this rate, they'd crash into the firmly closed mouth up ahead. Princess Zelda sent a gust of wind in front of them, in hopes of fulfilling Tetra's request, but it didn't do much as a form of brakes. They neared the blockade quickly. Just as they were about to crash and Tetra began to wonder how much pain she should expect the guardian did the unthinkable. It opened its mouth and stuck out its crimson tongue which was also a track. However, this track had an end to it and it forked off in three completely different directions. While they were safe from being flattened, they were now faced with a spur of the moment decision that, if chosen wrong, could end them as well.

The guardian had stopped its motion. Its head was completely still, facing a tunnel at an angle. The current route they occupied was on a collision course with the edge of a wall. Their left hand option wasn't much better but the track to their right led directly onto the dull track of the tunnel.

"Everyone lean to the right!" Link commanded. The order was more for the two companions behind him than the one in front. Tetra didn't need to be told. She could see what she needed to do for herself. They tilted the cart to the right just in time to switch routes and glided safely onto the lifeless tracks, the comforting light of the last room abandoning them.

Blue embers rained down from above and Tetra tilted her head back to look. The armored scarlet head of the guardian floated near the ceiling of the tunnel before shooting off ahead of the slowing cart. It had shed its last skin just like the first and was ready to inhabit a new body.

"Any new plans? That obviously didn't work," Tetra huffed.

"Let's observe it some more. There has to be a way onto its head. Why would there be tracks on it if it there wasn't?" Link suggested. Blue light flashed from ahead and Tetra who had momentarily loosened her grip tightened it again, all of her senses on high alert.

"Get ready. It's going to take us on another wild ride in a minute," Tetra warned the group, her eyes never leaving the approaching sapphire runes for a second. The light passed under them, illuminating their faces in a ghostly pallid blue glow. A few seconds later the tracks writhed to life, creating hills of their own, big and small. Princess Zelda used just enough of her magic to get them over the inclines and let gravity do the rest when she could.

It felt like forever before they emerged out of the tunnel and into the next circular room. This time, the serpent unexpectedly whipped its head around to face them. It was a few feet away from them, but it was still uncomfortably close. It let out a screech of what Tetra interpreted as exasperation and dove at them in its fury, opening its jaws wide and showing off its two ivory fangs that were as big as pillars. Purple liquid gathered at the tips. Tetra had no intention of find out what the strange liquid was, but if she had to guess she'd say it was poison.

The guardian made to snap its jaws shut over them and that's when Tetra noticed it, even if it was just for a second. The access into the serpent's mouth from the back end was blocked. Suddenly a ball of orange fire was shot into the creature's closing mouth and the cart was forced back into motion by the serpent's hungry lunge. Its jaws snapped shut on nothing but empty air, the translucent liquid dripping down to the floor.

The smell of burning wood fermented the air and the guardian relinquished possession of its newly obtained body, making for the next tunnel and ignoring the foursome, much to their confusion. They got over it quickly though upon seeing the flaming piece of track narrowly miss them on the way down. Everyone was yet again thrown out of the mine cart when it hit the ground. Tetra landed on her back, painfully close to where the cold stone floor gave out. She sat up wincing at the slight pain in her back. That was definitely going to bruise.

"You okay?" Kid asked coming over to help her up. She nodded, refusing the hand he offered her and getting to her feet. The pair joined up with Link and Princess Zelda who were waiting by the next tunnel with the cart already in place. Tetra rushed to get in and everyone piled in after her in their set order.

"Sorry about that. I wasn't aiming to set the tracks on fire. I was hoping that the tracks in its mouth were flammable, but evidently they're not," Princess Zelda apologized.

"Wait! You did that?" Tetra exclaimed, incredulous. The woman could shoot magic balls of fire now?! Now she really had to learn how to wield the power she was blessed with.

"It's fine, Zelda. If you didn't do that we'd probably be in much worse shape," Link assured her.

Tetra then remembered what she had realized as they were about to be eaten. "I know how we can get on the head now!" Tetra announced.

"Really? How?" Link wondered.

"It's simple. When the mouth opens the back is blocked, meaning there's a straight path onto the head. It seems to like keeping its mouth shut when we're behind it so we'll need to split up into two teams. A distraction team and an action team," Tetra explained.

"How do you propose we accomplish this?" Princess Zelda inquired, "We only have one mine cart and creating a diversion on the ground seems too reckless." The topic became closed for the time being as the familiar wave of blue washed over the tracks and they were propelled into motion, the princess working to prevent them from falling off the end although once they got far enough ahead her assistance wasn't needed as often.

A few feet away from them Tetra noticed that the tunnel forked. Both tracks were lit up in the sapphire glow, but she knew better. The right path was the correct one. She remembered from earlier when they had solved the puzzle.

"Lean right up here. This is the same puzzle from before," Tetra instructed as they approached the misleading track. As they drew closer Tetra noticed the glow of the left-hand tracks was considerably duller than the rest, proving that it was false. The foursome successfully made it onto the right path and were pulled along with little effort on their part.

The hills that the serpent was providing seemed to keep their momentum high enough so they could keep moving even on flat or steep ground without the use of the princess's magical abilities through the rest of the tunnel. When they entered the next circular room their ride of "relaxation" seemed to be officially over as the guardian spiraled upwards towards the oversized hole in the ceiling where light filtered in.

Leaning to the same side as the helix seemed to increase their speed automatically so they kept at it until they were at the top and the serpent's body leveled out. The new room was massive and filled with late afternoon sunlight. Looking down Tetra noticed that there were three main circles arranged in Nayru's symbol and connected by what appeared to be a tunnel that branched off in three directions in the middle. The rest of the room appeared to be an endless abyss.

In the center of each circle was a large hole that was surrounded by twisted golden gates. The outside of each circle was connected by long sections of mine cart tracks, somehow suspended in the air. Tetra hadn't realized that they were nearing the head again until they were in a dim tunnel. Just like last time the guardian stopped and opened its mouth at the last second, flicking out its pronged tongue.

"Left!" Tetra alerted the rest of the group, her eyes quickly scanning their options for the correct path. Everyone took her word for it and leaned to the left. They were rewarded by zooming into a pitch black tunnel. Tetra waited for the familiar blue glow to appear above their heads before racing ahead of them, but it never came.

"Where's the guardian?" Tetra asked no one in particular, her eyes delving into the darkness around them for a speck of blue.

"No idea, but there's two paths up ahead," Link replied.

"How do you know that? I'm in front of you and I can't see anything," Tetra complained.

"I don't know. My eyes adjusted a little. I can barely see it but I know it's there," Link answered.

"Okay, then which way?" Tetra queried, willing her eyes to adjust so she could see for herself what Link was talking about.

"I don't think it matters, so everyone lean left again," Link ordered. They followed his directions and soon were able to see fast approaching light. When they emerged from the dank tunnel they expected the guardian to be waiting for them, but the snake-like creature was nowhere in sight. A familiar click reached their ears and Tetra looked down. They weren't on track anymore. Instead the cart was sliding along freely on smooth gray stone.

Focusing her attention ahead her eyes widened as she realized they were going to crash into the golden barrier set up around the hole. She couldn't get out a warning fast enough, and before she knew it she was on the ground, flat on her stomach. She pushed herself up to a kneeling position and looked over to her companions who had also been spilled out of the cart when it had crashed. The mine cart itself seemed to be fine and Tetra was starting to wonder how durable it was. It had certainly been through more than she thought it could handle.

"Is everyone okay?" Link checked once they all regained their footing. Tetra nodded along with everyone else.

"I don't get it though. Why didn't the guardian follow us?" Kid wondered.

"Maybe it lost interest?" Tetra suggested as she helped Princess Zelda right the fallen cart.

"Or it's planning something," Princess Zelda chimed in.

"Let's hope that's not the case. We're completely vulnerable down here," Link sighed.

"Hey guys, over here!" Kid called from the other side of the circular platform, where he had wandered looking for any sign of the suddenly elusive serpent. They hurried over to him to see that he stood proudly beside an overturned mine cart, identical to the one they'd been using.

"Awesome! Now we can get onto its head!" Tetra exclaimed, coming over to help her friend straighten the cart.

"Once we find it that is," Link reminded her.

"So you suggested that we should spilt into two teams earlier. Did you have certain pairings in mind?" Princess Zelda inquired, addressing Tetra.

"Well, I was thinking that the distraction team would be you and Kid and Link and I would try to get onto the head," Tetra admitted.

"Why do I have to be a distraction?" Kid objected.

"Because I said so," Tetra shot back, "Besides, you're the perfect distraction. You have lots of items that you can use to call attention to yourself, and Princess Zelda is also good for a distraction team because she can use her magic to get you two out of sticky situations fast. Besides that, each cart needs a balance which is why I'm suggesting us to be split up this way. I'm good for the action team because I'm small and fast and Link's just basically there to help me control the cart."

"Wait a minute, what are you planning to do to get the tear out of the eye?" Link asked Tetra, skeptical. Before she could respond a loud screech cut her off and the guardian's disembodied head shot up from below and made its way towards the track on the circle far to their right. As the track lit up in a slightly less noticeable blue glow there was no more time for arguing teams. Link and Tetra claimed the newly found mine cart while Princess Zelda and Kid hurried to the original one.

Tetra aided Link in pushing the cart over to the tracks that the guardian was in the process of inhabiting while the princess and Kid made for the lifeless track on the other side of the stone platform. The cart clicked into place and Tetra climbed inside. Link continued to push it a little farther until gravity began to take over and he hopped inside at the last minute. The cart was pulled down the now mostly blue hued track and this burst of speed allowed them to stay ahead of the tail as the guardian gained control and took off on a wild rampage around the large room. Tetra focused on holding on for the most part, occasionally scanning the room for their companions who were supposed to be calling attention to themselves.

A yellow blur flew through the sky, hitting the guardian's armored face with a clank before returning to the hand of its owner. This drew the interest of the serpent and it dove down arching its back.

"Whoa!" Link shouted, as they were shot up into the air and the cart tilted precariously forward. As it did so Tetra could see that the mouth of the serpent was wide open and just as she had predicted the wooden tracks connected with the gold ones embedded into its head. The cart was propelled into motion and they shot down the steep slope, their screams being snatched away before they can be made known. She gripped the rim of the cart, butterflies carrying her stomach into her throat. Finally they made it to the bottom of the hill and Tetra was grateful for the sharp incline onto the golden rails because it helped her stomach find its place again.

She loosened her grip, getting ready to leap into action. Link still had no idea what she was planning once the eyes were in sight and she didn't have any intention of telling him since he'd probably try to stop her. They passed the copper frills that were displayed on either side of its head and then the hollow eyes were in view. Now that they were closer Tetra noted that the blue flames pouring out of its eyes wasn't actually fire. It was light. Comforted by this new fact Tetra had no lingering qualms about her plan and initiated it immediately without hesitation.

Tetra jumped out of the cart, her target the furiously glowing eye on the left side of the snake's head. She could hear the disapproving protests of Link from behind her but she chose to push them to the back of her mind. Her full attention was on her goal. Without warning the copper frill jerked into motion and slammed protectively over the eye just as Tetra was almost there. She gasped upon realizing that her plan backfired and tried to find traction as her sandals hit the copper that covered her objective. Unfortunately, the strange metal was unbelievably slippery and she slipped right off, too shocked to scream as she began to fall off the guardian all together.

Before the air could embrace her too long she was jerked backwards and she slammed into something. This something turned out to be someone and that someone turned out to be Link.

"You have five seconds to get your hands off of me," Tetra said calmly her tone deadly.

"You're in no position to make requests. What the heck was that? Care to inform me next time you're going to do something so reckless?" Link replied, matching her dangerous tone.

"Whatever," Tetra sighed, managing to break the contact between the two of them herself, "It would have worked if it didn't decide to suddenly guard itself. I thought those things on the sides of its head were just decoration."

"Well, they're not and because of that I had to save you," Link responded, making it sound like saving her was something too much of an inconvenience to waste time on.

"How did you even manage that anyway?" Tetra wondered, her tone still bitter although she couldn't exactly explain why. She should feel indebted to him, or at the very least grateful, but for some reason she felt no such thing, and she wasn't going to put forth the effort of fake emotions to make him think otherwise.

"With this," Link answered, holding up his left hand and brandishing one of his clawshots.

"What?! You caught me with that stupid thing? That's a weapon!" Tetra protested, furious at his audacity to use a weapon on her. Of course, it prevented her from falling goddesses only knows how many feet to her death but still.

"Yeah, a "stupid weapon" that happened to also be your lifesaver. I wouldn't complain," Link chastised her, putting it away in his pouch. Tetra huffed and faced forward again, holding onto the front of the cart. Somehow Link had managed to land on the guardian's body when the cart went flying off of the head and constant dips kept them moving forward.

A few moments of silence passed before Link spoke up again, "You know, your idea could work, but we need a way to keep the eyes uncovered."

"Yeah, I know. Do you have any ideas of how we can go about accomplishing that?" Tetra asked, still facing forward.

"Hmm…actually, I think I do. When you got close to the eye the frill covered it and as soon as you slipped off the frill snapped back to its original positon. I think its guard is triggered by motion," Link explained.

"So? How does that help us?" Tetra queried.

"Well, if we send down an object of some kind before you then the defense will be triggered, the object will slip off and when it does its guard will be lowered. Of course, you'd be right behind the object and there wouldn't be enough time for the frill to move back to block the eye since it'll realize a second too late and in that time you can easily slip inside," Link elucidated, surprising Tetra by how much sense his plan made.

"Huh, I guess it's worth a shot," Tetra shrugged, "Are those two still being distracting?"

The pair searched for their other two companions and found them easily. They were practically flying off the track with how fast they were going and Kid seemed to be using his boomerang once again, although most of his shots appeared to be missing. As Link and Tetra neared the head once again, having the first actual plan they both agreed on formed, Kid had finally been successful in drawing its attention once more, and it dove at the speeding mine cart, opening its mouth, and permitting access to its crown. The drop this time wasn't as great as the last and their mine cart barely managed to clear the incline. It succeeded though and Link dropped down an arrow like they had discussed he would. Tetra waited the designated three seconds before leaping out of the cart. She tried to slow her descent slightly but there was absolutely no traction on the crimson armor attached to the head of the serpent. The arrow neared the eye and just as before the copper metal closed protectively over the opening. The arrow bounced once and slid off. As soon as the contact between the arrow and metal was gone, the frill snapped back into place and Tetra took her golden window of opportunity.

She grabbed onto the cool rim of the red armor that stopped at the hollow eye and swung herself in just before the barrier slammed down again. Tetra just barely let go in time to prevent her fingers from getting crushed. Inside the light was blinding but she directed her squinted gaze to the floor and rushed forward her hands striking out blindly to capture whatever they could find. They closed around something cold and hard. She grasped the object, sapphire light spilling through the gaps in her fingers. With the dimmer light Tetra could direct her eyes in front of her to see that the eye was ahead was uncovered. She leaped out of it, the metallic clang telling her that the frill had closed protectively over the eye. She could care less though. She had what she wanted, thank you very much.

Link used the clawshot to pull her to him but he aimed a little low and instead of being pulled inside the mine cart she slammed into the side, nearly dropping the object cradled in her hands. Link caught her before she could fall and lifted her inside, apologizing the entire time. She shook his mistake off faster than she normally would and straightened. She couldn't be mad at him at the moment. She was too happy. They had won!

"I can't believe that worked!" Tetra exclaimed.

"Why didn't you think it'd work?" Link wondered.

"Because it was your idea," Tetra smirked, shooting him one of her signature winks.

"Ouch. That's cold," Link feigned hurt.

"If you want to talk about cold things why don't you hold this for a while?," Tetra commented, nodding at her hands that were concealing the object she had obtained from the guardian's eye.

"Sure, let me see it," Link agreed. The blue light had long ago ceased to emit from the object and Tetra wondered why. She opened up her hands to get a good look at it. It was a clear, reflective crystal sphere that seemed to be composed of numerous tiny hexagons.

"It doesn't really look like a tear, if you ask me," Link pointed out, staring intently at the object.

"You're right. It doesn't," Tetra agreed.

"HEY GUYS!" A loud shout startled them both. They directed their attention on their companions who were coasting along on their own mine cart on a separate track a little ways away.

Seeing that he had got their attention Kid continued to yell, "What did you do? The guardian's still up and kicking!"

"What?!" Link and Tetra exclaimed in unison turning to look. The guardian was indeed alive and well. The only difference was that blue light no longer poured out of its empty eye sockets. Looking at the glowing track they were on, proved that the serpent was still functioning.  _'But how? This is the tear, right?'_ Tetra wondered silently, looking down at the fragile orb nestled in her palms.

"We took the tear from the guardian's eye though!" Link called back.

"Hold it up, let's see it!" Princess Zelda commanded. Tetra held it up careful not to drop it. The rays of sunlight from above were consumed by the orb and unleashed in different directions.

"I don't think that's the tear!" Princess Zelda informed them.

"Then what is it?" Tetra shouted, lowering the object.

"I'm pretty sure it was a diversion from the real treasure. It reflects light, so it must have been reflecting the light of the tear and making it greater than it actually is. I'm positive that the tear is its power source though, which means that it's still hidden somewhere inside the head," Princess Zelda explained.

"So we basically grabbed something worthless, is that what you're telling me?" Tetra asked, becoming frustrated. She had really thought that they'd won a minute ago.

"Essentially, yes, but it might be worth something, so hold onto it," Princess Zelda replied.

"What's the riddle that you read on the plaque earlier again?" Tetra inquired, confident that she could figure it out.

"It was,  _'To reach what you seek, unleash the guardian who sleeps from its chains and peer into its crystal eye. There the treasure weeps,'_ " Princess Zelda answered her.

 _'Let's see…'_  Tetra mused to herself, ' _we seek Nayru's tear, the chains of the guardian must have been the riddles that held down the tracks since solving them made all of its many bodies available for it to use against us, and we grabbed a crystal from its eye which is where the treasure is so…is the tear inside the crystal?'_

Tetra stared at the sphere in her hands, trying to peer inside it. She couldn't see anything, but maybe it was designed that way to conceal the tear?

"What are you doing?" Link wondered.

"Wondering if the tear's inside the crystal. The riddle said that the crystal eye is where the treasure is so I'm guessing…" Tetra trailed off. She stepped back and held the clear orb out in front of her, releasing her hold on it before anyone could stop her. The crystal shattered into pieces and they both stared down at the broken sphere, waiting for the tear to magically appear. When it didn't, Link snapped, "Tetra! Why would you do that if you weren't sure?"

Tetra shrugged, "I couldn't be completely sure if I didn't break it."

"Could it be inside the gem on the guardian's head?" Kid shouted his suggestion before Link had time to respond to Tetra's sly remark.

They directed their gaze to where the serpent calmly slithered around in the sky seeming to gloat at them for falling for its clever trick. The gem set into the golden tracks in the center of its head seemed far too obvious yet that was also what made it the perfect hiding place for the tear.

"Maybe; we'll check it out once we get onto its head again," Link called back. Princess Zelda and Kid took this as their invitation to get back to distracting and raced ahead. Now that she thought about it, it did make sense. The eyes carved out of either side of its skull was just a place for the false treasure to lie. That's why the defensive barriers were triggered by motion because it couldn't see since its single eye, the gem, was positioned at the very middle of its head. It figured that a creature created to protect the goddess of wisdom's tear was designed in such a cunning way.

A few minutes later the pair were nearing their destination and unfortunately their path wasn't set up as nicely as the previous two times. Their companions seemed to be having a hard time getting it to open its mouth. It arched its body and forced Link and Tetra to endure yet another breathtaking drop. Tetra prepared to go flying into the tunnel of its mouth, but by some miracle the serpent snapped opened its mouth at the last second and their speed was slowed by the incline.

"Every other time I've gone flying over the gem because of the way its head is shaped," Link warned her as they neared the top of the hill, "The gem might be too hard for you to break, even if you do manage to jump off at the right time."

"We don't have a choice. I have to do it because if you were to do it I have no way to save you if you fall," Tetra pointed out, "I'm sure I'll be able to break it somehow."

"Fine, get ready," Link sighed. She nodded. They had switched places earlier so that she was standing behind him. They stood back to back in the cart, and as the golden tracks passed by Tetra tensed and got ready to jump out. As the mine cart went airborne Tetra knew without being told that now was the perfect time to act. She jumped and landed on her feet just a few steps away from the large blue gem. She pulled out her dagger and approached it, being careful not to slip on the slick surface beneath her feet. It looked like it was made of a similar type of crystal as the sphere that she had shattered.

Tetra silently prayed that she could hit it with enough force to do some type of damage with her small dagger. She pulled her arm back and struck the gem. It pulsed and small cracks appeared to snake up the entire gem. Encouraged by this welcome sight she struck it yet again, the cracks becoming larger and imitating the look of an intricate spider web across the bumpy surface of the blue gem. She was a bit surprised that the guardian wasn't filing any type of complaint at her actions. It didn't even seem to register pain and Tetra began to wonder if it was even capable of feeling the sensation. She attacked it for a third time and to her delight it shattered. A pulsing blue orb was laying inside a diamond shaped glass bottle set into an indent in the skull of the serpent.

She slid her dagger into its sheath and carefully stepped over the broken fragments of the gem. Tetra grabbed the bottle, pulling it out of its resting place. She was sure it was the tear this time. The head shuddered beneath her feet causing her to drop to her knees. Tetra looked to the side to see the glowing blue of the track begin to recede quickly. It was good to know that she had shut it down, but she wasn't out of deep water quite yet. She was still on the guardian which was probably going to drop out of the sky any second now.

Thankfully, the pieces of the gem weren't quite sharp enough to cut her and she stood up without a scratch. She picked her way through the rubble as fast as she could and jumped off. There was nothing else she could have done. The thing was coming down anyway and she had no intention of finding out what laid at the very bottom of the room. She was sure Link would save her again since he had many times before, but this time seemed to be taking longer. If he was toying with her then it wasn't funny.

Agonizing seconds ticked by and she was still free falling, knowing that any attempt to scream was futile. She began to wonder if Link was still on the guardian's body once it started to shut down. If that had happened then he could be in the same position she was at the moment. Before her imagination could run off without her she felt a familiar tug on the back of the red sash around her waist and she was tugged backwards. Tetra held tightly onto the glass bottle containing their prize. She was surprised to suddenly find solid ground beneath her feet and stumbled backwards.

"Are you okay, Tetra?" Link asked her, his tone seeming genuinely worried as he steadied her.

"I'm fine. What took you so long?" Tetra returned, wasting no time in portraying her displeasure.

"Sorry about that," Link apologized, "As soon as you shattered the gem I tried to get to solid ground as fast as possible. It took a bit longer than I expected though and by the time I got here you were already falling."

She nodded, straightening up and waving Link's assistance away. "Where are the others?" Tetra wondered, scanning the surrounding area.

"Making their way over here," Link said, indicating their companions with a nod of his head. They were almost to the platform. Once their companions reached them they wasted no time in climbing out of the mine cart and hurrying over to them.

"Are you two alright?" Princess Zelda queried, searching them for any hint of a scratch.

"We're okay. How about you two?" Link replied.

"We're fine too," Kid answered for them both, "More importantly it looks like we won!"

"Of course," Tetra smirked holding up the bottle in her hands, displaying it for all to see.

"That's the tear, no doubt about it," Princess Zelda confirmed peering at it closely. Link took the oddly shaped bottle out of her hands and put it away for safekeeping.

"So, you guys ready to go after the next one?" Link joked.

"NO!" They all collectively shouted in unison as Link laughed.

"We're resting first," Princess Zelda announced, "As if that wasn't terrifying enough, it almost completely drained my magic power."

"Well, you can't be afraid of heights now, right?" Tetra chimed in.

"No. I was never afraid of heights," the princess denied shaking her head, "I just don't enjoy them very much."

"It's okay to admit it Zelda," Link reminded her, smiling, "We already know so you can't tell us otherwise."

"Shush you," Princess Zelda retorted, blushing slightly and refusing to admit anything.

"There's something I'm still wondering about though," Tetra spoke up her tone turning serious.

"And what's that?" Kid asked.

"How do we get out of here?" Tetra wondered, looking expectantly at her companions for an answer. Unfortunately, no one knew the answer to that question either.


	21. The Strongest Side

Exiting the temple proved to not be as arduous a task as everyone had first suspected. The guardian had generously deserted them in the uppermost portion of the temple in return for its defeat. Faced with little choice, the group of four had decided to thoroughly inspect all of the circular platforms, hoping to find a safe and efficient way to descend to the lower levels since hurdling the golden guardrails didn't seem particularly promising. In little time, they had discovered a shimmering puddle of dark blue light on one of the platforms. Stepping into it had instantly delivered them all to Lanayru's serene spring. The light spirit was nowhere in sight, which wasn't entirely uncommon. The spirits were naturally reserved and because they had obtained the tear Lanayru had no further business with them.

Princess Zelda retrieved her cloak from where she had abandoned it earlier and the foursome left the cave. As they stepped outside Link turned his attention to the sky. The sun was on the brink of twilight, painting the sky in warm colors of gold and deep purple.

"Wow…I didn't think it was that late," Kid commented, marveling at the position of the sun as well.

Link tore his gaze away from the early evening sky and towards his companions, "We still have some daylight left. We can go to Castle Town and stay somewhere for the night."

"If we decide to leave and travel back to Castle Town we will have to avoid guards. Even with this cloak on, most will know who I am and may try to force me to return to the castle. If that happens, there is no guarantee that I will be able to leave again. Aside from that, there's the fact that we will surely run out of daylight within the hour. That means we will be forced to travel at dusk. Enemies may find us vulnerable," Princess Zelda pointed out.

"And who's to say we won't get attacked if we decide to stay here?" Tetra countered, "The way I see it, moving is our best bet. Besides, if we're in town that means we'll have less distance to travel to the next spirit spring, unless I'm wrong of course."

"You're right," Link assured the younger girl, "Hyrule Castle Town is situated in the very center of Hyrule. According to the plan that Zelda laid out we're heading to Eldin's Spring next, in which case we'll have to cut through town anyway."

"It's settled then," Tetra declared, "We're moving on to Castle Town. Now, how do we get out of here?"

"With that," Link answered, nodding his head at the colorful contraption in the distance.

"What is it?" Kid wondered, viewing the multicolored shack with curious eyes.

"A cannon that will shoot us back up to where we descended to the lake from," Link responded as he led them over the wooden bridges and well-spaced islands.

"Does it ever miss?" Kid asked seeming nervous.

"Not to my knowledge, no," Link replied.

"There's not a safer way out of here?" Kid checked.

"It's safe. Trust me, there's nothing to worry about," Link reassured him. He didn't blame Kid for his anxiousness. Link had been skeptical of it at first too. He just wondered why the younger boy seemed so unsure of a cannon while he had fallen into step with the rhythm of the trial, temple, and guardian almost instantly. He had noticed the same thing with Tetra. It was as if they had both been in those types of perilous situations before and developed an understanding of how to best deal with them.

Link wished he could question them and try to force them to answer but Zelda had told him to wait during their conversation on her balcony the night before. She claimed that the truth would reveal itself if they were patient enough. Patience, however, could only go so far and Link wondered how long he could tolerate it. Each moment they spent together spawned new questions and no answers. Despite that, he had promised the princess he would resist the urge to interrogate them since that would likely cause them to become even more guarded than they currently were.

Hopefully, all of the traveling and dungeon crawling would allow them to get to know each other better. For now, Link would content himself with trying to ignore the questions plaguing his mind and go with the flow of things.

They reached the shack in a handful of short minutes. Fyer stood in his usual spot, a bored expression on his face that changed slightly as soon as he noticed the approaching customers.

'Welcome!" Fyer called, waving them closer to the attraction, "I take it you're traveling again, eh Link? Oh, and with companions this time."

"Yup," Link nodded, hoping to keep the conversation brief.

"So what'll it be this time? The normal flight or the oasis flight?" Fyer asked, getting down to business.

"Normal flight," Link answered.

"That one eh? Alright. For four people that's forty rupees," Fyer said holding out his hand, expecting payment. Link reached into his wallet and pulled out the designated amount of rupees, dropping the currency into the smaller man's outstretched hand.

"Step right this way," Fyer instructed, trapping the money in his palm and stepping to the side. The hatch that would allow them entry to the strange contraption swung open, and they all filed inside. It closed with a finalizing bang. Faint music could be heard from outside and the space became cramped.

It wasn't long before they were all flying through the open air, ears ringing from the cannon blast. After the battle with the snake-like guardian, the sensation wasn't half as terrifying or nearly as thrilling as it was supposed to be. Everyone managed to land on their feet near the relative center of the landing platform.

They entered the small structure to their left and climbed down from the loft via ladder. When they exited the building and crested the small slope Link could see the horses grazing a small way away from where they had left them.

"So they really did stay," Tetra mused as they approached the two animals.

"I told you they would. They're well trained," Link replied proudly as he reached Epona and she nuzzled him affectionately. He smiled and patted her side in return.

"Do you need any help getting on?" Link asked turning to Kid who was at his side.

"I'm pretty sure I got it," Kid answered as he put a foot into the stirrup and used the saddle to support himself as he mounted. Link swung up behind him, reins in hand. After confirming that everyone was situated on a horse, they set off back the way they had come at a steady pace.

During their discussion the night before Link had mentioned to Zelda the discomfort in his left hand every time he so much as brushed by the younger boy in passing. She had been puzzled as well but told him that picturing the Triforce of Courage being protected by clear, sturdy walls should help discourage a reaction. So far it had worked and now he barely even felt a pulsing. Princess Zelda's Triforce of Wisdom naturally reacted to his when they touched but never had it been painful. It had felt like someone was tickling the back of his hand with a feather, nothing more.

As they progressed the sky grew steadily darker, twilight lengthening into a moonlit evening. Link kept his eyes open for enemies the entire time, searching the high rides to either side of them for threats. However, there were none. A light breeze glanced off their backs as the horses trotted through the pass. He wanted to avoid calling unwanted attention to themselves and tried to ignore Tetra ordering him to urge the animals to go faster.

The fiery girl deeply amused him at times by the way she seemed to take control of every situation like it was her job and viewed everyone else as inferior. He wondered how her parents dealt with her or if they were the same way.

They continued through the pass for what must have been at least another hour before emerging into the field. The town walls stood proudly in the distance, illuminated by soft fire light. Link and Zelda urged their mounts forward. After the taxing trial and unusual temple Link actually felt a bit fatigued and extremely famished.

The prospect of a home-cooked meal and bed was too tantalizing to resist and it was all he could do to keep from urging Epona to go faster and break their stealth. They reached the outskirts of town fairly quickly despite their relaxed pace and dismounted their steeds.

"Are we leaving the horses again?" Kid wondered as he dismounted.

"Yes, but not out here," Link said grabbing Epona's reins to lead the crimson mare on foot, "There's a stable that will care for them for a small fee until we're ready to depart in the morning."

Link and Zelda led the horses into town while Kid and Tetra trailed behind them. When they entered town they turned right to enter the stables. They were a fairly new addition to Castle Town and something that Link had suggested to the princess before they could no longer speak because of her occupied schedule. He had often passed it by on his last venture and always noted how the spaced seemed wasted, housing a couple goats that didn't seem to have any purpose. It proved to be a useful asset to the town, especially for travelers and merchants, and it soon paid for itself.

They dropped off the horses and exited, promising to return in the morning. The town itself wasn't nearly as lively as it normally was. Most of the townsfolk were heading home, others running last minute errands. By now Link was accustomed to the town. It was a boisterous purpose-filled marketplace during the day and as everyone retreated indoors it became a safe, quiet place for stray animals to roam the streets at night.

"Where are we going exactly?" Princess Zelda queried.

"Well, I was thinking Telma's," Link admitted.

"Telma's?" Princess Zelda exclaimed, struggling to keep her voice hushed, "But Link, that's a  _bar_. Normally, I wouldn't object but we have children with us. They won't let us in."

"Yes they will," Link argued as they strolled down the cobblestone street, "Telma's a friend of mine. She'll do me a favor if I ask."

"I don't see what's wrong with a bar," Tetra piped up, stretching her arms above her head, "It's not like we're going there to drink, and we're not children."

"Are you 16?" Link asked, teasing her about the minimum age that would allow her legal entry to the bar.

"Are you 18?" Tetra countered slyly.

"Are you children quite finished?" Princess Zelda sighed.

"Like you're one to talk! If you weren't by law a child then you'd be queen!" Tetra shot back.

"That's not true. I'm nineteen, but my father is the technically the King."

"Why do you say technically?" Kid wondered, joining in on the conversation.

"Because while he is the King he signed over the kingdom to me officially. I'm not honored with the title of queen because my father refuses to grant it to me lest I marry which isn't happening anytime soon," Princess Zelda explained.

A few minutes later they were descending the steps that led to the bar. As they entered the building it became evident immediately that it was one of the bar's busier evenings. Almost every table was filled with customers. Most were men but there were some women that could be glimpsed among them. The majority appeared to be drunk but that wasn't unusual. It was a bar after all.

Link scanned the room for the owner, Telma. After a couple seconds he spotted her heading back to the bar counter, an empty tray in hand. He made his way in the same direction beckoning for his companions to follow behind him closely, especially the younger ones. It wasn't long before Telma noticed them.

"Well well….if it isn't Link! How have you been?" Telma greeted him, stashing the tray underneath the counter before coming closer.

"Pretty good. How about you?" Link replied, leaning on the counter slightly.

"I've been fine. Not that I'm not glad to see you, but why are you here, honey? Are you just visiting or do you come with business in mind?" Telma wondered.

"Well, actually I've come to ask if my companions and I can stay here for the night," Link confessed, gesturing to the three people behind him. Telma seemed to just notice the others.

She nodded approvingly, "Sure. I don't see a problem with it. The entire Resistance is gone at the moment, so there's plenty of room."

"Why are the Resistance gone?" Link questioned, suddenly intrigued. It was unusual for them all to be absent.

A customer hollered for Telma's services and she spoke in a rush before departing, "I'll tell you later. For now go sit in the back. I'll send some food over when I get a chance." With that she left, shouting back at the rowdy customer to stop his yelling.

Link and his companions headed to the back table where the members of the Resistance normally sat. As soon as they were seated Tetra asked, "Who are the Resistance?"

"They're a small group of people that do what they can to help maintain the peace around Hyrule," Link answered as Telma's cat, Louise, hopped up onto the table, demanding his attention. He scratched her behind her ears and she purred to show her pleasure. A short while later food was delivered to their table and they all began to eat ravenously. Well after they were all finished the bar settled down some which allowed Telma time to slip away for a conversation.

"So, you wanted to know what the Resistance was up to," Telma began coming over to their table and not bothering to sit down with the knowledge that the peace was temporary.

"Yeah, why did they all leave?" Link wondered.

"Apparently strange things are going on in Kakariko. The gorons are having problems, with what exactly I'm not sure, but they've all gone to investigate," Telma explained.

"We're actually heading to Kakariko tomorrow," Link admitted.

"Then I'd be careful," Telma cautioned, "Chances are whatever it is it isn't anything good."

"Right, we'll be careful," Link replied. Telma was called away from the conversation, but before she left she quickly told Link that they could head to the living quarters and go to bed if they wished. Link knew where it was because he had stayed at the bar a day or two before on his previous adventure. He led his comrades through the strong wooden doors in the back and they climbed a flight of stairs up to a hallway. To the left was an open doorway leading to a decent sized living room. Beyond that on the same side was Telma's room which he had never been in and she kept locked at all times anyway. To the right was the bedroom where the members of the Resistance normally slept. He opened the door and everyone, including Louise, followed him inside.

"What do you think's going on at that village?" Tetra asked, hopping onto the nearest bed.

"I don't know, but if it's some conflict I hope the Resistance solves it tonight, so we can avoid it tomorrow," Link answered her, sitting down on one of the other beds.

"This is the first I'm hearing of it," Princess Zelda said as she lit the few candles in the room, "It could be nothing but bargaining trouble in Hyrule Castle Town since they haven't been around for the past few days."

"Let's hope that's all it is," Link sighed, taking off his sword and shield and setting them down beside the bed. Kid seemed to be removing his gear as well when Louise trotted up to him. He tried to pet her but she hissed before he could touch her and whipped her fluffy white tail back and forth in agitation. Kid held his hands up in surrender.

"Hey, you came to him," Link scolded the Persian, knowing fully well that she could understand him even if she acted like she didn't sometimes, "Be nice, will you Louise?" The cat simply stuck her nose in the air and walked away from Kid as if nothing had happened.

"What did you do?" Tetra asked, a devious smile on her face as she addressed Kid.

"Nothing!" Kid insisted.

"Kid, by now I know when you're lying. Now out with it, what did you do to the poor cat?" Tetra persisted, not backing down.

"I didn't do anything to the cat. She just hates me," Kid replied honestly.

"There has to be a reason though," Tetra pressed, "You were in Castle Town before right? So what did you do to upset the cat?"

"I...might have um…well, Agitha and I needed to get the letter to the postman somehow and since he was inside the bar and it's no children allowed we kind of….snuck in," Kid explained in a rush, "And we almost got caught because of her," he added pointing accusingly to Louise who was currently licking her paw.

"Don't worry, we won't tell," Link assured him. Link had been in a good number of places he shouldn't have been before so he wasn't going to hold it against Kid. After all, if he hadn't have done it then the letter would never have come close to Ordon.

"I don't know…it's pretty tempting," Tetra taunted, tapping her chin with a finger in thought. The next few minutes consisted of the two children arguing good-naturedly with each other while Link and Zelda added in comments of their own. Eventually the conversation dwindled down to nothing and everyone was more than ready to go to sleep.

"Wake us up early tomorrow morning, Louise," Link requested of the cat that chose to lay down by his side. She meowed as if in agreement and Link blew out the last candle that prevented the room from being completely shrouded in darkness. Sleep overtook him almost immediately.

The next morning Link awoke to a scream. Disoriented, he sat bolt right up and scanned the room, instinctively reaching for his sword which he realized a second later was on the floor. Everyone else was sitting up as well, disheveled from sleep. That's when he noticed Kid was cradling the side of his face.

"What happened?" Link asked, shaking off the lingering tendrils of sleep.

"The cat scratched me," Kid answered, indicating Louise with a nod of his head. The cat was perched on the end of Kid's bed with a smug look on her face.

"Let me see," Zelda said, getting out of bed and walking the short distance to Kid's bed.

"Louise, when I said, 'Wake us up in the morning' I didn't mean like this," Link reprimanded the cat who appeared to give a small impassive shrug before slipping out the barely open door.

"Like the cat really understands you," Tetra muttered rolling her eyes.

"She does though," Link argued, getting out of bed.

"It's shallow," Princess Zelda announced, "How much does it hurt?"

"Not too much. It startled me more than it hurt me," Kid admitted.

"I don't understand why the cat would do that though," Tetra spoke up, stretching.

"She was probably still holding a grudge against him for sneaking in," Link concluded.

"Does that mean she's over it now?" Kid inquired hopefully.

"Maybe," Link shrugged, pulling on his boots. The foursome got ready to leave the bar. Somehow the commotion had not awoken Telma and only when they stepped out of the room did she emerge from her own room. They chatted minimally on the way downstairs and Telma offered to cook them all breakfast which they accepted gratefully.

After a quick but delicious breakfast they got ready to depart. Telma wished them good luck and told them to be careful. Link assured her they would and the group of four left. They strolled down the street towards the stables. A few people were milling about, most merchants setting up their shops for the day. Thankfully, they hadn't encountered any soldiers so far but every kept a wary eye out for the armored men regardless. Reaching the stables took less time than usual since they didn't have to weave through a crowd. Link and Zelda retrieved their horses and paid the small fee required.

As soon as they exited town through the western gate everyone mounted and Link led them through the small tunnel and over the bridge. They rode hard for about an hour before slowing down. Nothing had interrupted them or disturbed the hilly landscape. They were at a comfortable pace for a few minutes before Zelda spoke up, "Link, look over there."

Link settled his gaze on where Zelda was pointing and was actually surprised to see bulblin on the horizon. Some appeared to be atop bullbos, others on the ground.

"Weird. They don't seem to be coming any closer," Kid commented as they all surveyed the sight before them.

"This is King Bulblin's territory so they shouldn't bother us if we mind our own business," Link explained. King Bulblin originated from the desert but Link knew that over the course of the last few months he has been constantly changing his claims to territory. The reason for this still eluded Link.

"That makes no sense. They're monsters, aren't they?" Tetra spoke up shaking her head, "Monsters attack anything that come close, especially if it's in their territory."

"They are monsters, but they're different. Their leader, King Bulblin is intelligent enough to be able to speak. He believes in fighting for the strongest side, and whatever he fights for, the others do as well," Link responded, urging Epona to keep going. As they progressed Link began to notice that bulblins had appeared to their left also.

"Link, are you sure it is okay? It looks like they are everywhere except for in front of us," Princess Zelda spoke up again after a couple minutes had passed.

"They're probably just doing a border check," Link answered. Whether the words were meant to console himself or the princess, it wasn't clear, but Link saw no other sensible explanation.

"Sure, because I bring my entire  _army_  to my border checks!" Tetra piped up, her words drowning in sarcasm.

"Is there a rule saying that monsters can't bring their whole army to their border checks?" Link replied, his tone nowhere close to serious.

"There should be because it's really unsettling to have hundreds of monsters watching you," Kid chimed in, glancing at the creatures in the distance that had only seemed to grow in number the past few minutes. They continued on in silence fully aware of the militia gathered around them. As they neared the hill a bulkier figure poised atop an armored mount came into view, flanked by bulblins on either side.

"Good job navigator! You led us right into a trap!" Tetra exclaimed, gesturing at the surrounding monsters for emphasis.

"You don't know that," Link countered, refusing to believe that his companion was correct, "King Bulblin probably just wants to know what business we have in his territory."

"Alright, so he had to bring a horde of enemies with him. Right, like that makes sense," Tetra rolled her eyes.

"It could be a precaution," Kid suggested.

"You're both wrong!" Tetra insisted, crossing her arms over her chest in defiance, "Stop being stupid. It's pretty obvious that they're closing in on us. They've been slowly advancing this whole time!" Link  _did_  notice that the bulblins seemed closer than before, but he was still in denial. There was no reason for King Bulblin to attack them. They were the strongest side, and had been since almost a year ago. That wouldn't just suddenly change.

Their small group approached the hill that King Bulblin was on. Once they were within shouting distance Link stopped Epona and Princess Zelda pulled up beside him.

"King Bulblin! Could you let us through please?" Link asked. If they weren't hostile then Link didn't want to change that by being too straightforward.

"I could…" King Bulblin replied and for a second Link thought he really would let them pass, "But I refuse to comply with your request."

"Why are you attacking us?" Link wondered, genuinely confused.

"I haven't attacked you….yet," King Bulblin answered, "You see, we can still avoid conflict. Give me the princess and you and your remaining companions can go on your way."

"Sorry, but you can't have her," Link said, narrowing his eyes. He should have expected that traveling with the ruler of Hyrule would bring trouble.

"In that case you force my hand," King Bulblin sighed in a disappointed fashion.

"Wait! What about the strongest side? Do you not live by that saying any more?" Link queried in a desperate attempt to stop the battle before it starts.

"I still abide by it. However, it seems that your information is sorely outdated," King Bulblin responded calmly, "because one fact seems to elude you."

"And what is this "fact"?" Link inquired, not really looking forward to an answer.

"You are no longer the strongest side," King Bulblin stated. There was barely a moment to absorb the meaning of the words for a second later King Bulblin blew into his curved horn, ordering his army to charge. From all sides bulblins advanced. Some held bows while others waved various weapons in the air screeching a battle cry.

"You were saying?" Tetra said, glaring at Link.

"Shut up," Link ordered her, drawing his sword. They were greatly outnumbered and that became even clearer as their enemies drew closer.

"Plan?" Zelda wanted to know as some of the bulblins drew arrows with tips ignited in brilliant orange flames.

"You two keep the bulblins at bay," Link commanded, "I'm going to take down King Bulblin. If we can defeat him the others will stop." There was no longer any time for conversation. They had to move. Now. Fire arrows rained down on them and Link spurred Epona into a gallop to avoid the projectiles. He cut down the bulblin nearest to them and Kid tried to draw his sword to help but Link stopped him.

"I can fight too," Kid objected.

"I know, but unless you've fought on horseback before I'd prefer you didn't. It's not easy and you'll probably end up hurting yourself or falling off. For now keep your head down," Link instructed, ducking to avoid an arrow. King Bulblin hadn't moved from his spot on the hill so it shouldn't have been hard to reach him. However, with the ocean of enemies before them he might as well have been miles away. Link knew that stopping to fight was suicide. There were far too many enemies to deal with and they stood no chance of prevailing unless they took down the leader. He settled for urging Epona to run at top speed, hoping to trample the enemies on the ground and hacking at the bulblins mounted on bullbos whenever they came too close. When Epona managed to get them to King Bulblin the other enemies immediately lost interest.

King Bulblin laughed and dismounted Lord Bullbo, taking his massive axe from his mount. Link regarded him with distrust, gripping his sword tightly in his left hand.

"You don't have to do this," Link tried to reason with the monster, "Who's making you? You know they're just controlling you right? You don't get any benefit out of it. Why not let us go?"

"I have free will, hero," King Bulblin spat, pronouncing the last word as if it were a curse, "No one controls me." He swung his axe meaning to take out Epona's legs. The horse shied away from the attack.

"Okay, then who's giving you the instruction to do this?" Link rephrased his question.

"That information is classified," King Bulblin answered, a smug look on his face, "Stop talking and let's play."

Link dismounted Epona, his eyes never leaving King Bulblin. "Go help the girls," Link whispered to Kid as he passed by. Even though Kid didn't know how to ride, Link knew that Epona would do most of the work on her own. He heard the sound of hooves grow fainter and turned to face King Bulblin. He had defeated him before, this time shouldn't be any different. The monster's attire was slightly different from usual. He wielded his axe the same as before but this time he had shields firmly attached to both of his arms as well as armor thickly coating his body.

King Bulblin sent a measured swing his way and Link back flipped to avoid it. He rushed in afterwards, slashing at the monster with his sword and leaping to the side to dodge the next attack. He hadn't even managed to put a dent in the armor. Whoever King Bulblin was working for had certainly done a good job of upgrading his gear. Link repeated the same process and dodged before the iron axe could go barreling into him. However, King Bulblin put good use to the large gleaming shields on his arms and thrust forward, catching Link off guard and sending him tumbling to the ground. He rolled out of the way just in time as King Bulblin brought his axe down like a hammer. In fact, he used so much force that it got stuck in the ground. Not wasting a second Link got back to his feet and turned around to find a weak point. Before he could strike though he was shocked to find Kid leap up from behind King Bulblin and perform a helm splitter. The technique was executed perfectly, however, thanks to the helmet King Bulblin wore the attack did nothing but allow Kid to impressively land on top of the axe which had just been wrenched free from the soft flesh of the earth.

He was launched into the air with a yell of surprise. Link never saw him land because the bulk of King Bulblin prevented it.  _'Did he really just use a hidden skill?!'_  Link asked himself in disbelief.

King Bulblin shook him out of his thoughts with an unexpectedly swift attack. Kid joined him a few seconds later, appearing to be completely fine.

"What are you doing? I told you to go help the girls!" Link demanded, nimbly dodging another shield bash.

"I can't get to them. There's a barrier that's separating us from the rest of the battle," Kid quickly explained as he ran beside Link, the two of them trying to distance themselves from their enemy so they had time to think. Fortunately for them, the arena was a good size and their enemy slow.

"Well that's just great," Link muttered. He hoped that the girls could hold off the monsters themselves a little longer. Being only two people they wouldn't last long, no matter how much skill they possessed. The enemy forces would surely overwhelm them eventually meaning that King Bulblin needed to be dealt with immediately.

With renewed energy Link turned to Kid, "Follow my lead. If you find an opening in his armor go for it. We need to end this as quickly as possible." Kid nodded and the two boys charged at King Bulblin who had little time to prepare an attack. He raised his massive axe, ready to strike. Kid had seemingly found a weak point in the armor around the large monster's chest and struck it, eliciting a grunt of pain from King Bulblin. That didn't stop him from swinging his weapon though. Link dropped to the ground to avoid the blow and Kid was forced to do so as well.

As soon as the axe passed harmlessly over their heads a second time Link leaped up and Kid followed his example. Link had found a weak point as well and was currently targeting the concealed straps that held the armor on. He successfully removed a piece of the metal on King Bulblin's left side before having to get out of the way. When the pair returned for another attack King Bulblin brought both of his arms together so the shields fastened to his arms provided his entire front with protection. While his front was protected, his back was wide open. Link leapt and rolled to the right, managing to get behind King Bulblin. Kid completed a similar maneuver and while Link attacked the one part of King Bulblin's back that wasn't coated in armor Kid set to cutting loose the barely visible ties, causing King Bulblin to involuntarily shed his armor.

Suddenly King Bulblin whipped his axe around with more speed than he had displayed before. Kid was the closest and didn't have time to get out of the way as the shoulder of the axe sent him flying into Link with brutal force. Both boys fell to the ground a few feet from where they had just been standing, dazed and sore.

"Are you okay?" Link asked, not daring to sit up in case the boy on top of him was seriously injured.

"Fine," Kid coughed out, getting off of Link.

"You sure?" Link checked, knowing fully well the damage that axe could cause.

"Yeah, let's finish this," Kid said, not sounding quite as breathless as before and standing up. Link scrambled to his feet and turned to face the monster that was slowly advancing. King Bulblin was naturally slow as a result of his size but as he was stripped of his armor he seemed to be getting swifter. They'd have to be more cautious.

This time when they charged in they were immediately knocked back by the shields. Link and Kid both stumbled back but neither fell. King Bulblin was almost completely freed of his metal attire which left his sickly green skin exposed. Link instantly came up with a plan to get the job done fast. He quickly explained his idea to Kid and they engaged King Bulblin in combat once again.

Link ran to the left side while Kid approached from the center. Link feinted a strike to King Bulblin's right side which caused him to instinctively ready his right arm as a means of defense. Link allowed his sword to clank harmlessly off of the shield and rolled expertly out of the way when the monster made to attack him with his shield, being sure to stay at his enemy's side. King Bulblin kept his right shield raised and used his left in an attempt to keep Kid at bay.

Link struck the metal shield in front of him to let King Bulblin know he was still there. It seemed to get the message across because the monster attempted a half-hearted shield bash. Link watched as Kid stepped back slightly to get a running start and caught King Bulblin off guard as he ran up the shield that Kind Bulblin held protectively in front of him. The monster tried to shake the boy off by flinging his arm to the left. This had been what Kid was waiting for though, and he voluntarily jumped off. He landed close to King Bulblin and used his sword to assail the monster.

Unlike the previous attacks, King Bulblin could do nothing about this one because both boys had his hands occupied. He needed two hands to properly swing his axe which was clutched uselessly in his right hand. The monster could not remove his right arm from where it was currently positioned because that would give Link an opening and the shield on his left arm wasn't any help since Kid was already so close to him.

"Enough!" King Bulblin bellowed, startling Kid so much that he actually did halt his multitude of attacks. This allowed King Bulblin mobility and he stepped back. The wavering pale gold barrier caging them in disappeared. He remounted Lord Bullbo in silence. As he passed the pair he declared, "Just because you have bested  _me_  does not prove your strength." With that he left, the barely reduced number of bulblins trailing after him.

They had no trouble locating the girls in the now barren field. Both of them were standing on their own two feet which Link took as a good sign. Link and Kid rejoined the pair. Princess Zelda didn't seem to have much more than a scratch or two but Tetra was another story. Blood poured out of a gash on her left arm and multiple scrapes and cuts dusted her legs as she leaned on Zelda slightly for support.

"Link I have medical supplies in my horse's saddle bags," Princess Zelda announced as soon as they were in range of being heard clearly, "While I go get them I need you to stay with her."

"Of course," Link replied, hurrying over and relieving Zelda of the young girl by her side. Kid hovered nearby in concern. Link sat down in the grass and gently pulled Tetra down with him.

"I'm okay," she insisted in an exasperated tone.

"No you're not, here," Kid said, holding out a bottle with red liquid inside towards Tetra. She accepted the bottle from him and downed its contents, grimacing at the taste. The minor injuries faded away as if they had never been inflicted in the first place. However, the potion did little to mend the wound on her arm.

Princess Zelda returned a few seconds later upon Pegasus. She dismounted her snow white steed and reached inside a bag, pulling out a bottle of potion and a roll of bandages. She sat down on the other side of Tetra.

"Kid already gave her some potion," Link informed the princess who nodded in comprehension.

While Zelda tended to Tetra, Link turned to Kid, motioning for him to sit down as well. "You should drink some red potion too," Link advised, remembering when the younger boy had been struck by King Bulblin's massive weapon. Kid contemplated it for a second before reaching over and picking up the bottle of red potion that Zelda had set aside when she learned she didn't need it anymore. Link noticed as Kid winced at the small action. After Kid drank the potion a strange look crossed his face.

"What?" Link wondered, confused. Did the potion not work?

"Nothing, it's just it….doesn't taste bad," Kid responded, setting the empty bottle down.

"Um is it supposed to taste bad?" Link asked. Through his experience the potions have always tasted pretty bland aside from a hint of sweetness, but never had he thought of describing the concoctions as disgusting.

"Well, all the potions I've ever had haven't tasted particularly good," Kid answered truthfully, "Except for this one."

"That was supposed to be for me!" Tetra exclaimed suddenly, her injury doing nothing to stop her from being her usual haughty self, "I should never have accepted that potion from you."

"It helped you though," Kid countered, smiling.

"And left a bitter taste in my mouth!" Tetra shot back.

"What's in your potions here anyway?" Kid asked, ignoring Tetra's last comment and causing the young girl to glare at him menacingly.

"The main ingredient is Chu jelly which already has natural healing properties, but brewers infuse it with water and herbs to amplify the effects. Then I believe they add fruit extract of some kind to give it a more appealing taste," Princess Zelda explained, not looking up from her work, "I'm not sure what was in the one that you gave her, but it seems to be stronger than the one I was going to give her. Do you know what was in it?"

"Uh…..I know that Chu jelly was in it…." Kid trailed off.

"Pure chu jelly then?" Zelda wondered, a bit incredulous.

"No," Kid said, shaking his head, "I know that there's more added to it, but I'm not sure what it is."

"Is it really wise to be drinking it then?" Link interjected.

Kid shrugged, "Probably not but it works well."

"We're not dead yet, are we?" Tetra added with a wink.

"Fair enough," Link laughed. A few minutes later Tetra was patched up and they remounted the horses. The foursome continued on to Kakariko which was still a good distance away. It was fortunate that their destination was Eldin's Spring because it would be able to heal whatever the potions hadn't. Overall, Tetra seemed to be the worse off although Link suspected that Kid was in more pain than he was letting on which was why they were moving at a relaxed pace. Despite a few scratches Zelda was fine. Link had miraculously gotten out unscathed, other than being a little exhausted from fighting. He thanked his chainmail for that. Without it, he was sure that he'd be nurturing, at the least, a bruise on his chest from the couple times he had been shield bashed.

In the end, he was mad at himself for letting them all get tangled into a trap in the first place. To make matters worse he had acted exactly as King Bulblin had wanted and as a result became separated from the girls which caused Tetra to get injured. While he should have instructed Kid to stay away he'd let the boy help which allowed him to get hurt. Link was supposed to be protecting them, so he felt at least, but he wasn't doing such a great job. No one was fatally injured but still. They could have been and that was a problem.

Despite getting wounded in battle, they both seemed relatively calm about the entire situation and neither shed a tear as he was sure they should have done by now. He had known as soon as he laid eyes on them that they were different from other children their age but now he thought he understood it a bit more. Regardless from where they were from they had obviously been involved in many battles. When Kid was fighting he noticed that his moves were fluid and graceful like water and he never missed a beat. Adding to it, he had performed one of the hidden skills which Link was still trying to understand exactly how it was possible.

Aside from that there was a more prominent issue that bothered him. King Bulblin had said right before the battle began that they were no longer the strongest side which ultimately posed the dreaded question. If they weren't strongest side, then who was?


	22. Eldin's Silence

Shadows were creeping into their domain as the group of four got close to the peaceful village of Kakariko. The journey took twice as long as it was supposed to as a result of the ambush early on and their lunch break which they had tried their best to keep brief. High rocky ridges stood tall on either side of them, the right hand wall practically glowing gold in the waning light.

Link had quickened their pace to a light trot so they wouldn't be stuck riding at night again. Kid found himself inwardly wincing every time the animal beneath him moved. The potion hadn't done as much to ease the pain as he had hoped it would, but he didn't want to bother anyone else by speaking out about this fact. For the time being he chose to deal with it. After all, Tetra wasn't complaining. Then again,  _she_  didn't get hit by an axe at least twice her size.

When an iron gate that Kid presumed to be the entrance to the village came into view he didn't feel as relieved as he thought he would. Actually, he  _would_  have been elated if it wasn't for the fact that the gate was locked shut. Link noticed this too and stopped Epona a foot from the blockade.

"I didn't think Kakariko locked these gates anymore," Link muttered in frustration.

"Do you think it this might have something to do with the gorons?" Princess Zelda inquired.

"Maybe," Link replied, "Whatever the case, we're going to have to jump it. If it is a result of the goron's problem then there's no guarantee that it'll be open in the morning."

' _Jump it_?' Kid wondered silently as the princess and hero backed their steeds up so they were a respectable distance from the gate. Any other time Kid would have been eager to try it but not now. Not when his side hurt this badly.

"Lean forward but don't press too hard on her neck," Link instructed Kid as they got ready to charge at the fence. Based on the fact that the princess had never jumped a fence riding double before, Link and Kid had been elected to go first to demonstrate. Kid did as he was told, biting his lip when the movement caused the pain in his side to increase in intensity. Link urged Epona forward and they gradually accelerated, each burst of speed jarring Kid's side even more.

Right before Kid thought they'd hit the gate, the horse leaped up and cleared the iron gate with room to spare. While they were airborne Kid actually forgot about the aching in his side. That all changed when they landed though. He let out a small moan when the pain made itself known once again, and unfortunately this didn't go unnoticed by Link.

"You okay, there?" Link asked, sitting up straighter so Kid could do so as well.

"Honestly, I'm not sure," Kid sighed, touching his right side gingerly.

"The spring will heal you. It's not far from here so don't worry," Link assured him, as they watched Princess Zelda's white horse hop over the gate, barely clearing it.

"Hey, Zelda," Link said as the girls came closer, "Take them to the spring, but don't call Eldin yet." Link hopped off of Epona and turned to leave when the princess stopped him.

"Wait! Where are you going?" Princess Zelda wondered, adjusting her hood which had slipped down when they had jumped the gate.

"The inn. I'm going to arrange for us to stay there for tonight," Link answered before walking away. The trio followed the dirt road until they came to the spring. The water was clear and sparkled in the fading light. This one seemed larger than the last, the sacred water continuing even past the mini waterfall towards the back.

Kid carefully dismounted and stepped into the spring. He was surprised to find that his boots didn't get wet until he remembered that he still had the water dragon scale necklace on. Tetra smirked at his stupidity as she removed her own. He watched her as she waded deeper into the spring before plunging her injured arm into the water.

Kid took off the necklace and let it dangle from his right hand as he ventured deeper into the liquid. The pain didn't seem to fade.

"Didn't you hurt your side?" Tetra inquired coming closer. She had unraveled the bandage from her arm to reveal smooth, unbroken skin.

"Yeah, so?" Kid replied.

"So, you have to put it in the water for the spring to heal you," Tetra informed him, crossing her arms in a know-it-all manner. Kid did as she suggested and instantly regretted it. The water lapped at his side, but it might as well have been fire.

"Oww!" Kid cried out through gritted teeth.

"Oh yeah, it hurts too," Tetra added.

"Thanks for warning me," Kid said sarcastically as the pain began to subside.

"Hey, that's what friends are for," she winked, smirking. Some friend she was. Still, he supposed that's why they were best friends. Opposites attract after all. She held out a hand to help him up which he accepted as soon as the dull ache in his side ceased to exist. He put the necklace on again so he wouldn't lose it and was surprised when it caused the water clinging to his clothes to evaporate. There seemed to be multiple uses for the valuable item, and Kid hoped that they wouldn't have to give their prizes away once they found a way home.

The pair made their way to the shore of the spring where Princess Zelda was waiting. Kid looked to the sky and wondered how he hadn't seen the large mountain in the distance before. Against the darkening backdrop of the sky it looked like someone had decided to unprofessionally splatter orange all over the mountain which almost certainly guaranteed that it was active.

"Is that mountain supposed to be spewing fire?" Tetra queried, pointing to the distance.

"Yes, that's Death Mountain," Princess Zelda replied calmly, stroking her horse's immaculate coat, "It's a volcano."

"Nice name for a mountain," Tetra commented, grinning wryly, "Judging by its name, there must not be very many people who are bold enough to live there, right?"

"Certainly not any Hylians, but the Gorons find it quite livable," Princess Zelda responded, "Still, few Hylians inhabit Kakariko."

Link approached them a few minutes later announcing that he had gotten them rooms at the inn and proudly stated that the deal included free breakfast and the use of the hot springs on the inn's roof.

"Are we going to speak to the light spirit or not?" Tetra wondered as Princess Zelda and Link started to walk to the inn.

"I was thinking we should do it tomorrow. I mean, we did get ambushed this morning and besides that we had to travel all day to get here," Link said, stopping to address Tetra.

"Oh please, Kid and I are fine now," Tetra rolled her eyes waving her now fully healed arm to prove her point.

"The spring doesn't recover blood loss," Link argued.

Tetra continued as if she hadn't heard him, "There will no doubt be people walking around in the morning. Won't it be a bit awkward talking to a light spirit then?"

Link was silent for a few seconds, seeming to mull over her words before countering with his own, "While that's true, if we talk to Eldin now we'll have to do one of those trials again." Kid still remembered the last one vividly and was surprised that he didn't have nightmares last night. He wasn't sure if it was the most terrifying thing he'd ever done in his life, but it was definitely one of them, and he didn't fancy the idea of doing it again.

"I'm up for it," Tetra stated fearlessly. She then turned to him for support, and who was he to deny it to her?

"It might be better to get it over with," Kid added honestly. Link shook his head, not seeming to believe what he was hearing.

Finally he relented, "Fine, but on one condition."

"Which is…" Tetra prompted.

"Which is you're the last one to step out of the circle," Link replied.

Tetra shrugged, "Fine by me." Everyone then looked to Zelda expectantly. She stepped into the spring and bowed her head, closing her eyes in concentration. The spring lit up quickly and in a matter of seconds, light swirled around large boulders in and around the spring. Only when the water was bathed in light did the spirit shoot up from the rippling liquid.

The light spirit seemed to be composed entirely of holy light just like the last spirit they had seen. However, that is where the similarities stopped between the two beings, for while Lanayru had appeared to be a snake, this new spirit, Eldin, took the form of a magnificent owl-like bird with enormous wings. Eldin gripped a ball of light in his powerful talons which seemed to serve as his perch.

"Ah…." Eldin hummed, "Lanayru told me to expect the four chosen to approach me. I didn't think I would get the honor so soon. As you know, the treasure you seek, Din's Tear, is protected inside a hidden temple that evil cannot touch. I cannot allow access to this temple until you all undergo a trial placed by the goddess. I shall send you into the trial myself. Behind me, there are three rocks gathered close together in a loose circle. Step into the center and I shall put you into the trial."

The foursome made their way to the rock formation like Eldin had instructed, using the cave to the left to get to the rear of the spring. In the middle of the three rocks was a circle of teal light. Kid was the last to step in. This time he expected the dizziness and was prepared when his head began to swim. He closed his eyes and shook his head to clear it. When he dared to open his eyes again, everything had been dyed a pale blue and all sound seemed to have died along with every other color. A strange feeling constricted his chest and he soon found himself holding a spirit vessel, topped with dainty white petals.

"As I understand, you four have successfully completed a Silent Realm before. Will an explanation be in order?" Eldin's voice echoed around them.

"Yes!" Link answered for them all, not hesitating for a second.

"In that case, listen carefully," Eldin continued, "This realm, appropriately named the Silent Realm, is a distorted reflection of the normal world. In this realm of spirits you are defenseless and must obtain fifteen sacred tears each. As there are four of you, there are a total of sixty tears to collect. These tears are held in your spirit vessels and the flowers on the top of each vessel are timers. The flowers will slowly wilt as you progress. If all of the petals fall, the guardians will wake up. The only way to put the guardians back to sleep is to obtain a tear, which immediately resets the timer and you will have exactly ninety seconds to reach the next tear before the guardians awaken. If a guardian manages to land a hit on you, your spirit will immediately shatter and everyone will fail the trial. Because this is a teamwork effort, you can continue to collect tears even when your personal spirit vessel is full. The sacred tear will simply find its way to the vessel that is nearest to completion. Once all the tears have been collected you must make your way back to the trial gate.

Aside from the tears there are white fruits placed periodically across this realm. These fruits are called Light Fruit and picking one up will cause beacons to appear above every remaining tear for thirty seconds. These fruits do not grow back, so use them wisely.

Besides the guardians there are other dangers in the Silent Realm. Not everything sleeps as long as the realm is silent. Watchers are poe-like entities that will awaken the guardians if they catch you in their beam of light. They have very acute hearing so the more noise you make, the more likely you are to get caught. Waking Water is the only liquid that can be found in this realm and it is by no means normal. Stepping into it prematurely wakes the guardians from their temporary slumber. There is little you can do to avoid this threat aside from stepping carefully. I believe that is all the information I have to disclose about the trial. Good luck chosen ones."

They certainly had more information than last time, but it brought little comfort. Stretching out before them was the rest of the spring, its sacred water transformed into Waking Water. Kid saw no problem with it at the moment since the realm will come alive anyway as soon as one of them stepped out of their sanctuary. The tricky part will be getting back undetected. The closest tear appeared to be on the shore of the spring which was a good running distance away. He spotted a mace wielding guardian on the shore set against the right wall. Even though that appeared to be the only threat, Kid remembered how a flying guardian had materialized out of nowhere last time. There was a possibility that the same thing could happen. The only good thing about it now was that there was more places to run.

"Okay, since everything will turn into chaos once we step out of this circle, let's make our strategy now," Link spoke up after assessing the situation.

"If the first person to make it to shore grabs the tear then it will not stop the guardians because everyone else will still be in the water. It might be hard keeping track of each other when we start, so how about everyone announces when they're out of the water," Princess Zelda suggested.

"That could work," Link nodded, "Let's do this: When you reach the shore shout 'here' once, so everyone knows that you're not in the water. Once you hear that four times, then go for the tear." Everyone nodded in comprehension and got ready to run.

Link was the first to step outside their protective flower. Unlike last time, no one faltered as the world around them became consumed in mayhem. Kid ran after him, the strange liquid licking his ankles as red flashed across his vision. He jumped off of the tiny waterfall and into knee deep water which made running a bit more of a challenge. Link reached land with a shouted, "Here!" as he veered to the right to avoid running into the tear.

A flying guardian passed through the wall to Kid's right, aiming a hit at him. Kid side flipped to avoid the attack at the last second, and continued running. Another flying guardian blocked his path after just a few steps. As it brought its twin blades down he rolled forward and they missed him by a good foot or two. He reached the shore safely and yelled out a relieved, "Here!" He couldn't relax yet though. The guardian on land had ceased chasing Link as soon as it caught sight of him. Go figure.

He gave the sacred tear a wide berth, ducking under the weapon swung at his face. "Hurry up, girls!" Link called towards the spring. Kid would have added his own input if he hadn't been running for his life. A faint call of, "Here!" somehow reached his ears over the pounding of his heart and the eerily clanking wails that somehow passed as a repetitive song.

Link decided to try to help him but only ended up in getting them both pursued. Kid couldn't tell how long it was until the fourth "Here!" sounded, but as soon as it did his eyes searched for the tear. Luckily, he was close to it. He bolted for the shining object and as soon as his fingertips made contact the world of crimson chaos turned into a realm of eerily silent sapphire once again. Everyone paused where they were to catch their breath.

"Those guardians are relentless," Tetra sighed, shaking her head, "A stupid flying one almost got me."

"And that's why we're going to be extra careful to not let the guardians wake up again," Link said, recovering from the chase.

"It would wise to keep some tears near the spring so we have a better chance of getting back to the trial gate at the end," Princess Zelda interjected.

"In that case, let's go to the top of the watch tower. We'll have a good view of the entire area," Link proposed beginning to lead them away from the spring. They strolled through the center of the village cautiously, the buildings about as lively as they were outside of the Silent Realm. Link collected a tear that was directly in their path. Up ahead the light of a Watcher came into view and everyone immediately tried to make their footfalls unnoticeable. The creature seemed to already have a specific route planned out just like the others they had come across in the previous trial and unfortunately they were in its path.

The foursome hurried to the side of the road, attempting to blend in with the murky blue shadows. As the Watcher passed by Kid held his breath. He wasn't sure if it would help, but it was certainly a smart precaution to take if the Watcher's keen ears could detect even the softest sound. It passed them by without incident and when they dared to move, and breathe, again they did so as quietly as possible. Link led them over to the steps of a shop where a tear rested. Princess Zelda grabbed it as they made their way up the steps and into the shop where they climbed a metal staircase, ignoring the sleeping guardian inside, and found another tear. Tetra claimed this one as her own before they left the shop and emerged on its roof.

Kid collected the tear on the left side of the roof while Link grabbed the one on the right. They made their way to a cliffside that presented them with two options, collecting two additional tears on the way. To the left three Watchers danced routinely around the ruins of a building, greedily keeping the tears stationed there imprisoned. To their right a wide puddle of waking water covered the entire width of the cliff, leaving no room to sneak by. Beyond the waking water a flying guardian slumbered.

The group chose to take their chances with the poe-like beings first. After watching their route for a few seconds it became easy to time. Princess Zelda managed to pick her way swiftly through the rubble and come away with two tears added to her spirit vessel. Kid slipped past a dozing guardian to get to a tear placed on a small wooden overhang while Tetra made her way behind the wreckage to grab the last tear in the area.

Kid had just collected the tear and was about to make his way back to where Link and the princess were waiting when everything flashed red. Taken aback by the sudden change in the atmosphere he foolishly froze in his tracks. Unfortunately, he had stopped right next to the guardian he had slipped past just a few seconds before to retrieve the tear. It swung its mace horizontally and it would have gotten him if his reflexes weren't as good as they thankfully were. He instinctively back flipped to avoid the weapon and it passed harmlessly underneath him. While the maneuver saved him from having his spirit shattered it unfortunately doomed him at the same time. The platform was too small for him to hope to land on his feet, and so he only succeeded in leaping backwards off of it. In an attempt to save himself from falling to his death he reached out with both hands and managed to grab the edge of the platform. He hung there attempting to catch his breath and trying not to think about the consequences of his grip slipping.

The haunting noises of the realm persisted as the crimson glow soaked everything. Kid peered upwards, hoping to find the guardian gone so he could climb up. His hopes were crushed. The guardian hadn't lost interest in him as he'd hoped and it was now towering over him. Annoyed that it had not succeeded in killing him the guardian brought its mace down vertically, aiming for his hands. Kid quickly weighed his options. Let his spirit be smashed into a million tiny pieces or fall off of a cliff. He let go.

The weapon just barely missed him and came smashing down on the wood, somehow not splintering it. Kid hardly cared about that though. He was more focused on trying to slow his descent, but with nothing to grab on to it was a lost cause. He let out a scream even though he knew that there was nothing anyone else could do. He tried to grab something from his weapons pouch, dread filling him when he realized that it wasn't there. He had promised Aryll that he'd come back. He had promised along with Tetra that they would find New Hyrule. He couldn't die!

He shut his eyes, bracing for impact. It came quicker than he had expected and he was surprised that pain didn't go shooting up his back and through his entire being. He could breathe just fine. Kid cracked his eyes open experimentally, shocked when blue embraced his vision. Daring to open his eyes completely, he was left staring up at the cliff he had fallen off of, two frantic faces appearing over the edge. He sat up slowly and looked himself over. Nothing was broken or even bruised. Then he remembered what Eldin had said. In this realm they were nothing more than spirits and as such nothing but the guardians could physically harm them.

"I'm okay!" Kid shouted up to his companions after getting to his feet. The pair simply nodded, not wanting to risk drawing the attention of the Watchers near them. Kid ran back into the shop and climbed onto the roof, rejoining with the girls rather quickly.

"Well now we know a quick way down once we get to the watch tower," Tetra smirked, as he drew closer.

"Not funny," He informed his friend, frowning disapprovingly. He had really thought he was going to die for a second.

"Yes it is!" Tetra insisted, "It's even funnier because I was the one to wake up the guardians, by accident of course."

"Yeah, well if I had died, it would have been your fault and then you would have to live with the guilt of killing me  _and_  be tormented by my ghost for the rest of your life," he countered.

"I'll keep that in mind the next time I almost kill you," Tetra promised.

"Please do," he said, cracking a smile, "But don't make almost killing me a habit."

"Hey!" Link called from behind them, catching their attention. He was on the other side of the puddle of Waking Water, "I'm glad you're okay Kid, but could you hurry up with the chatting? We are on a time limit you know. We've got less than thirty seconds."

The time limit had temporarily slipped his mind. The reminder of it instantly silenced them though and they returned to the task at hand. The puddle of Waking Water seemed easy enough to jump over but Link stood beside a tear on the other side just in case one of them slipped up. Tetra went first, surprisingly clearing it with room to spare. Kid hurdled it next, barely making it due to his legs still shaking from his near death experience. Princess Zelda went last. Out of everyone she should have made it without a problem since her legs were longer. However, she didn't quite make it and the heel of her foot skimmed the water's edge.

Everything flashed red but it didn't last long. Link retrieved the tear and the realm was silenced before the guardians could so much as move from their designated resting places. They progressed up the cliff, following the sloping path while they claimed sacred tears along the way. They entered a small building to their left when they reached the wooden platform. Inside was a dozing guardian and a tear which Tetra grabbed before she started climbing up the ladder. When they emerged from the building they scaled another ladder to get on the roof.

A flying guardian was positioned in the back right corner. In front of them was a light fruit and another tear. Kid claimed the tear as Princess Zelda grabbed the fruit. The foursome then peered at the land below them. Link had been correct when he had said it would give them a good viewpoint. A large number of golden beacons riddled the landscape below them, showing them the location of each tear. It was a bit discouraging to see how many they still had left to collect. Kid was sure that the beacons would disappear if he took the labor of counting them all. A single Watcher patrolled up and down through the center of the village. Besides that there didn't seem to be much to worry about except for a small patch of Waking Water near some sheds close to the shop that they had passed through to get to the cliffside.

"There are three beacons close to the spring. Two of them look like they are coming out of that cave we went through to get to the back of the spring. We should retrieve them last," Princess Zelda suggested.

"That should work," Link agreed, "We should make the graveyard one of the last places too since it's close to the spring."

"So we'll work forwards from here, basically," Tetra summed up.

"Yup," Link confirmed with a small nod.

"Okay then, let's go," Tetra said, stepping closer to the edge of the roof. Link grabbed her arm and pulled her back.

"What are you doing?" Link demanded.

Tetra shook her arm free before replying, "What does it look like I'm doing? I'm jumping."

"Why?!" Link asked, thoroughly confused.

"Because we've collected all of the sacred tears here and trekking back down will take too long. By the time we get to the bottom the guardians will already be awake. This is much faster. Besides, you know what they say: If your friends jump off a cliff you should too!" Tetra returned, stepping close to the edge once again.

"That's not how the saying goes!" Link exclaimed as Kid protested, "I didn't jump! I back flipped and fell."

"That works too," Tetra shrugged. She then proceeded to backflip off of the roof.

"Is she insane?" Link wondered in disbelief as they watched her fall.

Princess Zelda shook her head in astonishment as Kid answered him, "She's done crazier things."

"I don't even want to know," Link said as they witnessed Tetra landing on her feet and waving at them to join her.

"Yeah, you really don't," Kid agreed, grimacing at the memory of the time she had shot him out of a catapult in a barrel against his will and missed.

"She may seem crazy, but she's right," Princess Zelda spoke up, "We will run out of time if we attempt to make our way down there on foot." Princess Zelda then surprised them both when she jumped off as well.

"And…they've both lost it," Link sighed.

"Well, if you can't beat them, join them," Kid advised. He jumped off of the roof. He had already fallen once. The second time didn't seem as terrifying as the first since he had done it voluntarily and knew this time that he wasn't capable of getting injured in his spirit form. As he landed he instinctively rolled forward. Link joined them soon after.

"Now was that so hard?" Tetra taunted. Instead of responding Link simply made his way over to the closest tear and added it to his spirit vessel. Kid approached the entrance of Kakariko. The iron gate they had hurdled earlier was locked tight and barred by a pale purple fence for good measure. He collected the tear in front of the double barricade before regrouping with his companions who were puzzling over a new obstacle.

Stacked up sheds created makeshift steps up to the sloping shingled roof of a small shack where a lone tear rested. The problem was that Waking Water lapped the base of the first shed. After a few seconds it receded. Kid counted how long it took for the water to appear again and barely cleared three seconds before the shifting liquid started growing again.

Link was nominated to retrieve the sacred tear since neither Kid nor Tetra could get onto the shed without assistance and the princess feared that she wouldn't be fast enough. Link slowly inched forward as the Waking Water receded. When he could tread safely he dashed forward and grabbed onto the rim of the small structure, pulling himself up just as the water crawled out from its hiding place. With no other threat, Link easily scaled the remaining shed to get onto the roof and collect the tear.

"There's another tear behind this thing. I'm going to get it," Link turned to inform them before sliding off of the roof and out of sight. He returned a few seconds later and they continued, grabbing tears as they went while keeping a wary eye out for the Watcher they knew was lurking through the ghost town. They were forced to stop once and slip into an alleyway to avoid getting caught in the Watcher's pool of light. When it was a safe distance they darted out from hiding, Link leading them. He led them past a shop where Princess Zelda collected another tear.

They made their way up a small hill. Tetra ran ahead and collected another tear. Kid claimed the one on a small wooden platform overhanging a shop below before joining the others. There was a small gap between the raised slope they were standing on and a wooden deck that could be described as both broken and unfinished was positioned a good distance away. Link jumped it easily, and motioned for them to follow after retrieving the sacred tear. Kid obeyed, taking a few steps back to give himself a running start. He landed on the deck and moved out of the way for the next person. Both girls leaped across without incident and they all continued, climbing higher.

Kid slipped under the support beams for the second flight of stairs to collect a tear. At the peak they found a pool of what was probably once the hot springs Link had mentioned earlier but was now mirrored in the Silent Realm as Waking Water. A tear lay near the water's edge. Princess Zelda carefully collected it and they made their way to the other side of the village where buildings that Kid had presumed to be abandoned even back in the normal world stood.

From their aerial view of the town earlier, they knew that on the roofs of the houses were tears waiting to be found and given a home in one of the glass orbs of the spirit vessels. Link volunteered to retrieve them since the effort of everyone climbing up to the rooftops would waste time. They all watched as Link disappeared after he crested the first roof. A few seconds later a sacred tear darted towards the threesome seeming to be pushed by an invisible force and nestled itself inside Kid's spirit vessel. He was perplexed at first, but then remembered what Eldin had told them. That meant that Link's spirit vessel had to be full.

Link returned shortly after that brandishing his now completed spirit vessel for them all to see.

"One down, three to go," Tetra announced as Link led them to the graveyard entrance. Kid grabbed a light fruit that was in front of him and six beacons lit up the locations of the tears. Graves littered the ground, most slabs of stone partially broken or faded. He spotted three guardians and two watchers, one wandering among the graves, the other patrolling a higher ledge in the back.

The group of four waited until the grave Watcher returned to the left hand graves before moving towards the right. A beacon signaled that a tear was in the second grave but no one could see it.

"Maybe it's under the grave," Princess Zelda whispered, so as not to call attention to their small party. Link moved the grave as suggested and a sacred tear was revealed. Tetra grabbed it and they moved on. Kid retrieved a tear from behind a dead looking tree. He had begun to notice that all of the trees in the town had looked just as lifeless even in the normal world. Kid blamed it on the volcano though. It made the entire village warmer, which couldn't be beneficial to many plants.

The Watcher was looping back around to their side so they swiftly changed direction to avoid it, being rewarded with another tear. They then decided to claim the tear guarded by the second Watcher. Princess Zelda retrieved it without managing to set off an alarm and they quickly moved away towards the graves they had ignored earlier. They retrieved the last two tears in the graveyard and hurried away just before the Watcher could catch them in its light.

They made their way towards the cave, Tetra collecting a forgotten tear on the way. Kid's spirit vessel was now full as well. Princess Zelda grabbed a tear near the mouth of the cave before they all ventured inside. The flying guardian that had materialized out of thin air in the beginning was snoozing inside along with the second to last tear which Tetra retrieved, completing her spirit vessel. They followed the tunnel and came upon the last tear. All the tears had been collected, the white flowers atop each spirit vessel showing no signs of decay.

They emerged from the cave. There was no choice but to jump down into the Waking Water for they couldn't reach the trial gate without doing so. Deep tones of scarlet painted their vision as the realm was awoken from its eerily peaceful slumber. The guardians had no time to seek out their souls though. Kid and his companions reached their blue blossom of safety in a matter of seconds, thus successfully completing their second trial.

The spirit vessels simultaneously floated out of their hands and burst in a blizzard of soft white petals. A new object replaced it. Their new prize appeared to be another piece of jewelry. This time a ring of some sort. It was a glowing reddish orange in color at first glance but it seemed to be made of glass. Looking closely he noticed that beneath the glass shield a thick liquid that reminded him strongly of lava seemed to flow, bouncing off the sides and causing certain sections of it to be blackened.

A dizzy spell assailed them all without warning and a few seconds later they found themselves back in the realm of flesh and bone. Kid shook the last remnants of the dizziness away and turned to the light spirit that was towering over them.

"You have done well, chosen ones," Eldin praised them, flapping his great wings lightly in approval, "The items you now hold are gifts from the goddess. Awarded to you to help you navigate the temple and other challenges you may be faced with in the future. It is called the Ash-Fire Ring. It protects the wearer from extreme heat. In addition it will allow you to run across lava or fire. However, be warned about this particular power. It will only work if you run. If you walk or stand still the ring will not be able to function properly and it will not protect you from direct contact. While it is not being used the ring will turn black. When it is using its power to protect you it will glow a bright red, the intensity and exact shade of this color varies depending on how much the ring must work to protect you or function the way you want it to.

Completing the trial has broken the seal placed on the temple so you may enter it when you wish. The temple's entrance is under the water in the back of my spring. Diving down a short way should enable you to access the tunnel set against the farthest wall. When you are ready, enter the Temple of Din, goddess of power, strength, earth, and fire. May fortune follow you." With that the great spirit of light faded away along with the golden tint of the water and the runes swirling around the rocks.

While they had undergone the trial night had settled its cloak over the land of Hyrule. The group of four chosen ones made their way toward the inn, sleep in mind. However when they reached it they were greeted by three people. Two men and a woman. The new people hurried them all over to a table where they all began to chat. After just a few sentences out of the mouth of one of the strangers Kid knew that he probably wouldn't be getting the sleep he'd hoped for tonight.


	23. Be A Little Bolder!

Her footsteps echoed back to her as she walked down the deserted corridor. She'd been like this for a while now. Alone. Her only company was her shadow which seemed to pulse every now and then as if it were alive, trying to reassure her. She felt as if something was watching her, but it could have just been the eerie atmosphere that sparked this feeling. After all, she was completely alone.

Tetra was looking for her companions, whom she had lost in this maze of a place. Maybe lost wasn't the correct word since they had intentionally split up to find what they were looking for, but it seemed appropriate enough since she didn't know where her feet were leading her.

She followed the dark tiled floor laid out before her, a wary hand on her dagger. Nothing had attacked her yet and that made her uneasy. Surely  _something_  should have defiantly blocked her path by now. Up ahead the corridor curved to the left and she quickened her pace to meet it, hoping to find something. She wasn't disappointed.

The room stretching out before her reminded her of a throne room. Near the back of the room an uncomfortable looking chair rested against the wall, imitating a multi-legged bug that nobody dared to touch but one. This one appeared to be a man and she squinted, taking a small step forward as if it would help her discern the figure better. The new presence was cloaked in shadows, making it impossible to make out any features other than a faint outline, and even that was a stretch.

A shiver crawled up her spine, adding to her growing paranoia. She unsheathed her dagger, tensing up into a fighting position. She didn't like the vibe this guy was giving off. It was too irregular to be safe. His face was masked by the darkness, but that didn't stop her long ears from picking up on the light chuckle he emitted upon noticing her actions.

The figure vanished from his throne and she glanced around the room, trying to pinpoint his essence. She couldn't properly sense his position until he was behind her gripping her shoulders a little too hard. Suddenly she was frozen in fear, unable to move. She clutched her dagger uselessly in her right hand. She didn't understand why she was terrified. She'd faced Ganondorf, taken on the Ghost Ship, got turned to stone…..the list went on and on. After everything considered, she shouldn't be afraid. Yet, she was.

"Let her go!" yelled a voice that she recognized as Link's. Kid was right beside him, sword drawn and a look concocted of both anger and determination on his face. Link shared a similar look, gripping his sword tightly as well. Both boys ran towards her, intent on saving her from the evil behind her. She felt the pressure leave her right shoulder for an instant. In that moment both boys were picked up off their feet and thrown backwards by an unknown force into a wall she couldn't see due to the dimness of the room. "Link!" she screamed as she heard what sounded like a wall crumbling to pieces. Her call of concern was for both of them.

Dust arose slowly from the impact and she attempted to search for their forms even though she knew that she would not be able to see anything courtesy of the combined effort of the dust mixing with the shadows to distort and obscure her view. The hand had long since returned to her shoulder, but she had snapped out of whatever spell had rendered her motionless earlier.

Tetra wrenched herself free from the unknown evil's grasp and bolted forward in the direction that the boys had been thrown, praying to the three golden goddesses that they were okay. She didn't hear any footfalls behind her, a sure sign that the man wasn't following her. She closed the distance faster than she would have expected and immediately came across debris from the fallen portion of wall.

She waved away some of the dust clouding her vision as her eyes swept over the rubble, in search of a flash of green. She did see a color but it wasn't green. It was red, slowly pooling out and becoming bigger soaking the bricks around it.

Tetra let out a small scream as she jerked awake. She laid there for a few seconds, staring at wall, her breathing coming in short gasps as she tried to calm herself. She rolled over to see Kid peacefully asleep on the bed neighboring hers. Suddenly she was grateful that she had been able to share a room with her friend. Her companions seemed to be lighter sleepers. She let out a shaky breath in relief, pushing herself into a sitting position. She silently thanked the goddesses that it was just a dream. A nightmare, but not real anyway.

A sudden pain made itself known in her head and she put a hand to her temples hoping it would ease the ache. It didn't. She closed her eyes, brief images of the dream flashing across her vision. Suddenly she was cursing the goddesses. Tetra knew what the ache in her head meant and she refused to accept it.

She hadn't had a prophetic dream in quite a while, but she still remembered the symptoms that came with one. A migraine was one of them. Feeling fatigued was another, as one does not really sleep when they are given a vision of what the future may hold. She quietly moaned, holding her head in her hands. She could hear voices downstairs and smell food cooking which meant that it must be morning. She wouldn't be catching any sleep if that was the case. Even if she did have time to get some shuteye she doubted that she would have been able to fall asleep. Those dreams tended to traumatize her for a few nights afterwards.

This one was more haunting than any she had experienced before. Tetra tried to remember as much as she could, forcing herself to relax and think slowly since any information she gathered was surely important. The dream wouldn't have been sent to her if it wasn't. She had been alone….she remembered that. Where ever she had been, the lighting hadn't been strong and the place was large. A temple maybe? Then she had come to a room and a man had been there. She had never seen his face. She could barely make out his figure but she had known it was a man for some reason.

The man had disappeared and reappeared behind her, grabbing her. Shortly after that both boys had rushed to her rescue only to be thrown back and…that was enough. She wished that she could forget what had happened after that.

She shook her head to rid it of the disturbing image. This action didn't help her headache and she quickly returned to her former position until the pain subsided to the point where she could lift her head. Tetra wasn't positive about what she should do about the dream. Keeping quiet seemed like a bad idea, but so did telling everyone else. She was almost positive that her prophetic dreams were connected to the Triforce of Wisdom and if that was the case then Princess Zelda surely had them too. Now that she thought about it, she didn't recall the princess making an appearance in her dream. Even if the princess had prophetic dreams then she doubted that she had had the same one, if any.

Besides that, they could possibly figure out her secret if she suddenly claims that she has prophetic dreams. Only mortals that were "blessed by divinity" could have such things, or at least that's what her mother had told her when she was younger. Telling Kid would only scare him and she wasn't sure if there was really a safe place for them to talk where no one would hear them.

If she remembered correctly, she hadn't been lost. They had deliberately separated. As long as she made sure that they stayed together, there was no way that those events could possibly unfold. Feeling a little better now that she had consoled herself she swung her legs over the side of the bed and slipped her feet into her sandals, securing them to her feet before standing. She then grabbed her dagger from the chair she had set it on the night before and fastened it to her side.

Some of her blonde hair had come undone from her bun during the night so she quickly redid it, glancing at Kid who was still asleep. She swore that he could sleep longer than anyone she had ever met. He was a pretty heavy sleeper too, but she was slowly weaning him out of that habit by using various methods to wake him up. Tetra still had trouble understanding how someone so lazy could save her life more than once.

Reaching into her wallet she pulled out the ring she had temporarily placed there last night since she hadn't wanted to sleep with it on. Just as Eldin had predicted, the ring was as black as ash. Peering closely she could almost pinpoint its texture behind the glass as ash-like. Shrugging, Tetra slipped it on her ring finger. It was a perfect fit which was weird since she never wore rings. In fact, she never wore jewelry in general aside from the necklace her mother had given her.

Not feeling quite as creative as usual due to her lack of sleep and migraine she simply settled for shaking her best friend awake. He groaned but opened his eyes.

"What? No violent wakeup call today?" he mumbled sleepily. She stopped shaking him and pushed him out of his bed, a feat she probably wouldn't have been able to accomplish if he was in his current half-awake state.

"Stop messing around. Get up. It's morning," Tetra ordered him.

"I'd like to point out that you were the one that pushed me," Kid said, standing up.

"Don't sass me," Tetra narrowed her eyes at him, clearly not amused.

"Yes, Miss Tetra," Kid smirked back at her as he sat down on the edge of his bed, pulling on his boots. She didn't say anything to that. Instead she just huffed and looked away towards the closed door, hoping he would hurry up.

Last night they had briefly met most of the Resistance who had been researching the gorons and their predicament. Apparently, they hadn't been able to get close enough to speak with the gorons since they'd been attacked by them first thing. The Resistance were puzzled by their hostility and her older companions seemed just as stumped. The group had made themselves comfortable at the inn, claiming that it wasn't safe during the day since the gorons roamed the town during those hours, blocking both gates into and out of the village as well as access to other areas.

Among the three new people they had met only one interested her. This was actually the scholar, Shad was his name if she remembered correctly. He was also the one that had kept them up most of the night, refusing to drop the topic of how Link and Kid looked so alike yet didn't share family connections. Apparently, he researched the history of Hyrule and its lore. That meant he must know the legend of the Hero of Time and if he did then she might be able to get some answers. She wanted to talk to him without Link or the princess knowing though which would be difficult if they were already up.

Kid was ready in a matter of short minutes and the pair left the room, making their way downstairs. When they reached the ground floor Tetra was disappointed to see Princess Zelda and Link already there, but she did a good job of masking it as they joined them. The Resistance was there as well. They knew who the princess was despite the cloak she wore, but that didn't seem to bother her.

They both slid into empty seats next to each other at the table exchanging brief greetings with everyone else as one of the inn workers set down a plate of food in front of each of them. Tetra began to eat, hoping it would take her mind off the throbbing in her head and provide her with more energy. After just a few bites she found herself pushing her food around her plate. Suddenly feeling nauseous. Why now? Why on the day they were going to a temple? She couldn't act like she was sick. They would make her stay at the inn and that was no fun. She also had no way of explaining to them that it was a dream and not sickness that plagued her.

Tetra swallowed as much as she could, eating slowly so as not to betray her true feelings. Once she had depleted the plate of food to a little less than half she stopped, claiming to be full as Kid finished his food. He shot her a strange look, but other than that no one commented.

"Be careful out there, yeah?" the only woman of the Resistance, Ashei, cautioned them as they got ready to depart. She spoke in a similar manner to Gonzo which Tetra thought both amusing and strange. Her thoughts turned to her crew without her consent. She wondered what they were doing. Looking for them maybe? Drunk and ignorant? Most likely. Tetra didn't know which one she preferred. She didn't like them worrying since they usually did stupid things when faced with that emotion so maybe the latter was best?

"We will," Link assured her as they neared the door, "I earned the trust of them before. They should at least listen to me."

No response was heard and Tetra wasn't sure if she was supposed to expect one. They stepped outside into the morning sunlight which seemed to somehow amplify the dust that constantly blew through the nearly abandoned town. Tetra had only caught glimpses of gorons on the Great Sea before and never once had they struck her as something to be feared. They were traveling merchants, that much she knew, but she was never really interested in their stories, so she had never approached one to ask. The gorons had always struck her as an odd race, opting to wear ridiculous looking hats that cover their faces and carry packs larger than their bulky selves. Kid had told her after their adventure with the ghost ship that not all gorons looked like that, but she hadn't believed him. Now she did though.

She could see gorons near the spring, standing defiantly with their arms crossed. Describing them as comical was not an option anymore. They looked serious and ready to kill who ever had the audacity to come near them. Tetra hoped that Link wasn't lying when he told Ashei that he had gained their trust long ago. She certainly had no interest in being flattened by rock people.

The foursome approached the spring, their goal the cave leading to the back of the water source. Gorons blocked the entrance. When they were just a few feet away they stopped, and Link was about to call out to them, but he didn't get the chance. The gorons simultaneously rolled up in a ball, spinning in place to gather momentum. Tetra took a step back ready to flee if need be.

"Guys, we didn't come to fight. Can we just-" Link began holding up his hands in surrender. The gorons paid no heed to his words or his body language for they launched themselves at the group of four without hesitation. They all found themselves dashing back to the inn with the oversized boulders not far behind. For being made of rock, they moved fast and Tetra found herself having a hard time keeping up with the others. She blamed the prophetic dream for it. Normally she was faster. Kid noticed her struggling to outrun their pursuers and grabbed her wrist in an attempt to hurry her along.

They made it to the inn's porch and ran inside, Tetra halfway being dragged by Kid. The door slammed shut behind them and they all pressed their backs to it breathing heavily.

"Tried to roll you down didn't they?" the oldest member of the Resistance, Auru, chuckled, glancing up from the table he was sitting at with the other members of his group.

"Yeah, they did," Link answered for all of them, approaching the group with Princess Zelda, Kid, and Tetra in tow.

"There's absolutely no bargaining with them. I don't understand it; I really don't. They're usually such a gentle race," Shad spoke up, not taking the effort to raise his head from the book it was buried in.

"Gentle? I find that hard to believe. They just tried to kill us!" Tetra exclaimed throwing her hands up in the air dramatically.

Her words were ignored though as the young scholar continued, "Their actions only lead me to one conclusion, which is highly unlikely, and that is that something has happened to their patriarch. We can barely get around town though, the mountain will be impossible to scale, so there's no way to know for sure."

"I might have a way to get there. Do you think they'll let us out of the village?" Link asked Shad who had glanced up at the end of his mini speech earlier.

"If you want to get out of the village then you'll have to wait until nightfall. You could certainly attempt it now but they guard the exits all day, and lock the gates at sunset," Shad replied.

"Alright, then I guess we're stuck inside until then," Link sighed plopping down in a chair. Princess Zelda claimed a nearby chair as well. Tetra and Kid remained standing.

"Wait a minute!" Tetra cried. The temple was so close and they were giving up and leaving just because of some brain dead boulders? "Why are we even leaving in the first place? We have business here!"

"I know, but we can't do anything until the goron's problem is resolved," Link argued.

"You said that you earned their trust before, so how did you do it? Can't you do it again?" Tetra wondered, crossing her arms in annoyance.

"Yes, but I don't have what I need to accomplish that on me at the moment. It's back at Ordon which is why we need to leave so we can get it and come back here," Link explained.

"What is it that you don't have?" Tetra questioned him.

He hesitated before replying as if debating over if he should tell her or not. He must have decided that it was acceptable for he answered her, "Iron boots."

"Iron boots?" she repeated, wondering if she'd heard him correctly. Link nodded to confirm, and she couldn't believe their luck. "And what did you do with these boots?" she asked.

"I wrestled the gorons," Link responded.

Tetra quickly turned to Kid. She did want them to keep a low profile, but after the battle with King Bulblin Tetra could tell that Link saw Kid in a different light. He must have pulled off some impressive stunt while they were battling. Still, if Link was already suspicious then that was nothing that they could change. They might as well show off a little. Besides, she wasn't a patient person and she was  _not_  going to wait all day.

"No," Kid stated, shaking his head before she could get a word out.

"I didn't even say anything yet," Tetra pointed out.

"You don't have to. I know what you're going to say, and I'm  _not_  doing it," Kid retorted crossing his own arms to mimic her stance.

"You can't lose though," Tetra insisted, gesturing to the golden bands on his wrists.

"I'm missing something here," Link interjected, raising his hand in the air as if asking permission to speak, "What are you guys talking about?"

Tetra sighed but began to explain, "Kid has iron boots too. So I'm suggesting that he wrestles the gorons instead."

"Why do you have iron boots?" Link wondered, turning to Kid for an answer.

"I uh….travel a lot," Kid stammered, clearly unsure about how to answer. Tetra rolled her eyes. He could have at least come up with a convincing lie.

"Despite that, the gorons are so much bigger than you, shrimp. You'll get torn to pieces," Ashei helpfully chimed in.

"She's right. There's more to it than just the boots. You have to have a good amount of strength too. I could barely hold my own against them," Link admitted.

"It's too dangerous anyway," Princess Zelda added, "It's best if we wait."

"Then let's make a deal," Tetra bartered addressing Link, "You and Kid wrestle. If he can't hold you down then we'll wait until nightfall and get your boots from Ordon. However, if he does manage to pin you then we're not waiting and he's going to wrestle the gorons so we can get where we need to be."

"Hey! Wait a minute! Don't I get a say in this?" Kid exclaimed.

"Nope," Tetra said before quickly turning back to Link, "So? What do you say?" She could see him contemplating her offer.

"Do it," Ashei urged him, "I'd like to see how this ends, yeah?"

"Should be interesting," Auru shrugged.

"I agree, these kids you found are getting more and more interesting," Shad said, putting his book down for once.

"Tell me about it," Link muttered sarcastically before reluctantly sighing, "Fine, you have a deal."

They both shook on it and Tetra smirked. He had no idea what he just signed up for. After alerting the inn staff, which was only made up of a couple people, and the owner that they weren't actually fighting, just training, they were told to make sure they didn't break anything and then were left alone.

Link and Kid stood facing each other, stripped of all of their weapons. Ashei stood between the two while Auru, Shad, Princess Zelda and Tetra sat on the sidelines a safe distance away.

"Rules are simple," Ashei announced, "No foul play. To win, immobilize your opponent for ten seconds which means get them on the floor and make sure they stay there. Questions?" Both boys remained silent and she nodded in approval.

"Begin!" Ashei exclaimed, stepping back after waving her arm as a substitute for a flag she didn't have. Tetra watched as they both tensed up and began to circle each other slowly, neither quite bold enough to make the first move. Some shouts of encouragement from the spectators animated both parties though and they lunged at each other, their previous uncertainty replaced with determination.

Kid was fast, but Link wasn't exactly slow either. In a matter of just a few seconds he had grabbed Kid and pinned him to the floor by his wrists. Tetra could tell that he wasn't using all of his strength though which was his mistake. Ashei began to count, but Kid was able to push Link off of him before she could even reach two seconds. Link stumbled back in surprise and managed to regain his composure as Kid changed to the offensive.

Link dodged and grabbed Kid's arm, his grip visibly better than it had been before. He tried to get Kid to the ground, but Kid was unwilling to go down without a fight. Her friend whipped around with his free arm and flipped Link over onto his back so fast that the onlookers couldn't even comprehend how he had done it. Beside her, Tetra heard a few impressed whistles and she smirked. She had taught him that move herself.

Ashei was counting again and Link appeared to be having trouble getting up. A little past the halfway mark Link managed to get Kid off of him and everyone except for Tetra cheered. Kid didn't stay away for long though and by the time Link had rolled over and was about to push himself to his feet Kid tackled him back down, wrestling his arms behind his back. Now it was Tetra's turn to cheer as the others cried out in outrage.

"Come on Link! Get up!" the princess called out in encouragement as Ashei's counting reached the halfway mark.

"No, Link. Stay right where you are! The floor suits you," Tetra called out afterwards.

"7," Ashei announced as Link struggled against the smaller boy's hold.

"8" Link almost had Kid off of him.

"9," Ashei counted, her voice betraying her worry as she watched the two boys.

"10!" Ashei exclaimed in awe, "The shrimp wins." Kid immediately released Link and helped the older boy to his feet.

"I think I'm a little scared of you now," Link laughed. Kid just rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, not knowing what to say.

"How did you do that?" Shad questioned, addressing Kid as both boys joined them at the table again.

Kid looked to Tetra, silently asking if it was okay to answer him. Tetra gave a small nod and Kid replied holding out his wrists for inspection, "I have power bracelets on."

"Power bracelets? I wasn't aware such a thing existed!" Shad cried, leaning closer to scrutinize the plain golden bands.

"You must do more than travel," Auru marveled.

Before the conversation had an opportunity to go further Tetra interrupted them, "Look, he won. A deal's a deal. Come on, Kid let's go wrestle some gorons!" She grabbed her friend's wrist and marched him towards the door.

"Did I really win here?!" Kid wondered as she dragged him away.

"Wait a second!" Link yelled running after them, Princess Zelda close behind. The Resistance were laughing amongst themselves and Shad had returned to his book.

"Yes, we made a deal and you won, but hear me out," Link said catching up to them. Tetra stopped in her tracks and turned around to show she was listening.

"With that many gorons out there, there won't be time to have an actual wrestling match with them. Instead, they're going to charge us like before and when they do you need to grab them and basically pick them up and toss them. That will give us enough time to get by," Link explained, "It'd be best to practice first.

"How do you suggest that he practices?" Tetra queried, releasing Kid's wrist, "There isn't exactly a nice goron that's willing to not kill us at the moment."

"I know, but I was thinking maybe he could practice with me. I'm not as heavy as a goron, but it's better than nothing," Link said.

A few minutes later both boys were standing in the middle of the room once again, Kid being instructed on how best to stand when facing off against one of the rock people. Kid learned quickly and as a final test Link was going to have him use the technique on him.

Tetra and Princess Zelda watched as Link rushed at Kid who was already in the stance that his counterpart had shown him earlier. Kid managed the pull it off effortlessly, but he had used more force than was necessary and Link went crashing into a stack of crates.

"Sorry!" Kid apologized as he ran over, followed closely by Princess Zelda and Tetra, who was trying hard to hide her smile.

"It's fine. I'm good. You're definitely ready to fight some gorons," Link announced, sitting up and giving Kid a thumbs up. Link got up from the disturbed crates. As luck would have it, none of them seemed to be damaged. He carefully picked his way out of the pile, but not carefully enough. His arm bumped an unstable crate which, for some reason, was balancing a pot on its crown. The pot tumbled off before anyone could stop it and shattered into pieces as soon as it hit the floor. They all winced.

"Uh, I'll clean that up," Link said, pointing to the broken pottery.

"You better! I told you guys not to break anything!" called out one of the staff workers. After cleaning up the small mess they had made and apologizing profusely, they left the inn. Since there were so many gorons, and Kid could only focus on one at a time Princess Zelda was going to use her magic to protect the rest of them from the attacks.

The foursome approached the mouth of the cave for the second time that day. Kid had donned his iron boots and stood at the ready for the goron that immediately targeted them. Tetra huddled closer to the princess as she put up a glossy blue protective barrier. She watched as Kid grabbed the goron that was so much bigger than him and stopped it from progressing. With a yell of effort he threw the goron aside and it rolled to a halt. Then it popped out of the balled up position it had been in and looked around as if confused.

"Kid, look out!" Tetra warned him as another goron targeted him. He heard her just in time to stop the goron from ramming into him. Sliding back slightly, he searched for a better grip and once he found it, he proceeded to toss the living rock away from him. The same thing occurred with this goron.

"Do you they're under a spell?" Link asked, voicing exactly what Tetra was thinking.

"I'm almost positive that they are," Princess Zelda confirmed. Tetra focused her attention back to the brawl. The awakened gorons caught on to what was going on and began to help Kid knock some sense into their comrades. Soon all of the gorons around the spring were back to normal, all of them seeming a bit dazed as if they'd just awoken from a mystical dream.

The princess deactivated her magic and the gorons all turned to address them.

"We are sorry for attacking you; we had no idea what was going on," one goron apologized.

"What happened? Do you know?" Link inquired.

"No, I have no memory of it and I'm sure my brothers are the same," a goron answered him.

"I don't quite remember either. My last memory is going about my business as usual," another one added.

 _'Could that evil presence in my dream be responsible for this?'_  Tetra wondered silently, staring at the ground intensely as if it would provide her with the answers she was seeking. Instead of answers it just seemed to irritate her head more so she stopped thinking about it and caught the last bits of the conversation before the gorons left them.

"We'll go help our brothers break free from the spell, so you don't have to worry about us," a goron announced before rolling off towards the other side of the village with his companions.

"Well, that was interesting," Link stated as they watched the gorons leave to duel their brothers.

"I wonder who placed the spell on them though. Could it be the new 'strongest side' that King Bulblin claims exists?" Princess Zelda pondered.

"I don't know, but I'm kind of hoping we never find out. Come on, let's go to the temple," Link said, approaching the mouth of the cave that would lead them to the back of Eldin's Spring. Tetra followed him with Kid, who had removed his iron boots, not too far behind. They made their way through the cave, and when they emerged from it they plunged into the deeper water below them.

Opening her eyes Tetra swam down a small way where an opening was present against the back wall. The tunnel glowed softly like an ember and she could feel heat coming from it. She ventured forward into it despite the warbled protests of Link to let him go first that reached her ears.

The tunnel was short, and when it ended she swam in the only direction that was available which was up. Breaking the surface, she hoisted herself up onto solid land which was conveniently a couple inches in front of her face. Water droplets slipped off of her and hit the ground, evaporating almost immediately. Behind her, she knew her companions were entering the temple as well, but her eyes only had sight for what lay before her.

A relatively large room, its walls constructed entirely of sand-colored rocks that were illuminated by an unknown light source, encircled them. Overall, it was considerably warmer than outside, but not in a pesky way. Tetra glanced at the ring on her finger and noticed that it was beginning to glow, proving that it was probably hotter in the temple than it seemed.

The floor was made up of slim red fragile looking tiles. They seemed to almost imitate waves as they snaked across the ground. This couldn't possibly be the place from her dream. It was too bright. In the middle of the room the tiles had been etched into. Noticing this, Tetra stepped forward to take a look.

It was the symbol of Din, meticulously carved by a careful hand. However, it was a bit different than the symbol she was used to seeing. Each of the three parts were connected to their closest neighbor, causing the entire thing to resemble a helix. If the last temple was any indication, then this would serve as their map.

"It doesn't look like a complicated layout," Princess Zelda commented, peering at the symbol as well.

"It does look less involved than the last one," Kid added.

"Yeah, but doesn't mean it'll be easier," Link sighed.

"We can dream," Kid grinned at him. Link returned the smile. Tetra looked up. Ahead of them stood an arched door and she hurried over to it, wanting to get a better look. To her disappointment, the lines carved into it didn't seem to have any significance. A red gem glistened in the center of the door. Kid joined her after a few seconds and searched the door for its hidden meaning.

"It kind of looks like…um…." Kid trailed off, tilting his head to the side.

"Nothing," Link supplied helpfully, coming up behind them.

"Yup, that's the word," Kid agreed.

"You two have no sense of vision," Princess Zelda sighed, shaking her head.

"Okay then, princess. Interpret it for us with your wisdom powers," Link teased her.

"Gladly," she said, a small smile on her lips as she pushed him out of the way, so she had a full view of the door.

"Hmmm…there's a few possibilities. It could be a flame, but I have a feeling it's more than that. A blossom of fire perhaps, or it could even be a wing," Princess Zelda reported after a few seconds.

"Well, whatever it is, it's the guardian, and I'm sure we'll run into it sooner than we'd like," Tetra huffed, "Let's just go."

The door turned out to be heavier than expected, but Kid had little problem holding it up long enough for them all to get through. Kid released the door and it dropped to the ground with a loud bang. Tetra took in the layout of this new room, which was really better classified as a hallway. It curved to the right and was consumed in shadow before long.

She peered into the darkness, attempting to see what lay beyond only to have shining crimson eyes gazing back into her own.

"Welcome to the Temple of Din," Tetra muttered sarcastically under her breath to her companions before drawing her weapon and rushing to meet whatever monster hid in the shadows, the others not far behind.


	24. The Temple of Din

Everyone rushed forward towards the shadowed depths of the slightly curving hallway. Link had noticed the shimmering red eyes immediately. Tetra was the first to reach the hidden creature and swing her weapon in front of her. She brandished her dagger with certainty but didn't seem to hit anything despite being directly in front of the crimson orbs. Connecting with nothing but air, the force she put behind her attack spun her around so she was facing the opposite direction. Something hit her from behind, and she fell forward out of the darkness and onto her hands and knees, losing her grip on her weapon.

"You okay?" Link asked, stopping to help her up. The others stopped as well.

"I'm fine," Tetra said, retrieving her dagger and waving his assistance away as she got to her feet.

They all turned their attention back to the glowing red eyes that seemed to be silently mocking them from the shadows. The monster appeared to blink once before it darted out of the darkness and straight for Tetra who just barely managed to raise her dagger in defense.

"What the-" Tetra exclaimed in shock, staring wide-eyed at her attacker. Link stared as well. Opposing Tetra was…Tetra. Well, not exactly. The girl that locked weapons with her could have been her identical twin if it wasn't for the difference in color. The girl had pallid skin while her hair was an unmistakable ebony. The clothes she wore were a mixture of grey. She used a dagger just like Tetra, but the color contrasted the originals'.

The girl mirrored Tetra's bewildered expression with one of her own before smirking in amusement and striking again which Tetra deftly blocked. They exchanged blow after blow, neither managing to touch the other. They were evenly matched and Link knew that the fight would most likely go on until both or one of them collapsed. Tetra seemed to be tiring already but her doppelganger didn't appear to be expending any energy.

Link rushed in to help, hoping to surprise it with an attack from behind. The reflexes of the girl, no the monster, were swift and it leaped out of the way, causing him to almost hit Tetra with his sword. Thankfully, Tetra's instincts were sharp and she ducked out of range of his gleaming blade.

"Don't go hitting me with that thing!" Tetra yelled at him in annoyance.

"I wasn't trying to!" Link shouted back at her, looking around for the creature. It was eyeing them curiously with a disgruntled frown on its face. It suddenly sighed and shook its head as if they had disappointed it. Then the strange being returned to the darkness and a piercing whistle echoed throughout the wide passage. Three more pairs of eyes manifested to accompany the first.

A flash of flaming scarlet met Link's piercing blue gaze. Just as before the eyes winked out of existence for a mere second before darting out of the darkness and into the lighter section of the hallway. This time Link was its target and he brought up his shield to block it. His enemy appeared to be a dark version of himself.

Link lowered his defenses and tried to attack the creature, but it simply dodged and tried to best him with a back slice. The move caught him off guard, especially since it was a hidden skill, but he somehow was able to whirl around on his heel and block the attack with the flat of his sword.

A few more minutes passed and the only cries uttered were those out of frustration. Everyone was battling themselves, and no one had been able to gain the upper hand. The duels were all at a standstill. Link thought that he had finally figured the monster out though. At least a little. It seemed to have knowledge of his skill-set and act, more or less, like he would in battle which was why they were so evenly matched. If he hoped to best his opponent he would need to think of and pull off a move that he wouldn't expect and wouldn't know how to dodge. In other words, he had to find his weakness to find his strength.

Thinking proved to be difficult when his doppelganger seemed to know what he was up to and was attacking him even more furiously than before. The blows were coming so fast that Link almost couldn't keep up. He dodged to the left and aimed a horizontal slice at his enemy's side. It was no surprise for Link that he missed his target and was forced back on the defensive once again.

He contemplated using one of his other weapons, but then dismissed the notion. There was no possible way to distance himself from his attacker long enough to dig out a different weapon from his pouch. He was stuck using his sword and shield which wouldn't be such a bad thing if his attacks actually made contact. Link attempted using a back slice but his foe leaped out of range of his blade. Letting out a growl of exasperation, Link sheathed his sword and shield in a last ditch effort to land a hit. However, his opponent seemed to know what he was trying to do and kept its distance.

 _'No hidden skill can help me now,'_  Link sighed inwardly as he drew his weapon again. The dark version of himself ventured closer and Link took the opportunity to strike first. It did him little good. His opponent blocked every single attack that was thrown its way with fluid ease. The monster seemed to have an unlimited supply of stamina and even after nearly half an hour it showed no signs of exertion.

Link knew he was slowing down and desperately tried to think of a way to injure his enemy. Finally, an idea was blessed upon his brain and he thanked Nayru for it. The creature was on the offensive once again and Link was parrying as best as he could. He dodged and lowered his sword, raising his shield. As his doppelganger landed a vertical slice on the protective metal and it bounced off Link wasted no time in throwing both of his weapons aside, ducking low, and rushing at the monster, grabbing it around the waist in a tackle.

He knew that he had surprised the creature by the pleasing clattering sound of its weapons following his own to the ground. They both hit the tiled floor, well into the shadows. Thanks to Zant's curse Link had retained some of the heightened senses he held as a wolf when he was human. Of course, they weren't as sharp as they were when he was the divine beast, but they were distinctly sharper than an average person's. This was why he could partially see in the dark. His doppelganger appeared to blend into the darkness, but that didn't completely obscure Link's view of the creature.

It was a fist fight now, and Link knew that he was no good in fist fights if he wasn't aware that they were going to happen. This, he had found out when he was younger. Actually, he had Fado to thank since the boy had picked on him constantly when they were little, of course by now all of their petty squabbles had long ago ceased. Link didn't dwell too long on the memory and instead took the opportunity to do something productive while he still had a chance.

Link pulled his left arm back, his hand forming into a fist, and launched it at the monster's shocked face. He made contact, but it wasn't with flesh and bone like he'd been expecting. It was some very hard and unforgiving crimson tiles.

The shock absorbed into his arm and he grimaced at the pain, waving his hand as if it would help numb it. Link knew that he hadn't missed though! His aim was true and his opponent never moved to avoid the hit. Somehow his hand had passed straight through the creature as if it was made of shadows itself… That was it! It was made of shadows and was only solid in the light. In its domain it was untouchable.

No sooner had Link realized this than his enemy flashed him a triumphant smile and sat up, wrapping a hand around Link's throat.

"Ack-" Link choked as the monster squeezed tighter, standing up and causing Link to stumble back, trying to grab the hand constricting his airways. Of course he couldn't. There was nothing to grab. He'd need to lure it to the light if he could. Fortunately for him he was backing up in the right direction.

The red eyes of his dark side shined in the darkness, seeming to laugh at him, enjoying his helplessness. Multicolored dots danced across his vision as a result of the lack of oxygen. He fought to stay conscious though. They were close to the edge of the shadows by now. They had to be. Link stepped backwards towards the light. His doppelganger had stopped advancing by now, wary of the light that would make it susceptible to attacks again.

It wasn't going to allow him to back up any further though. This became apparent when it pulled him back into the shadows with it. Knowing that he needed help, Link tried making some noise by stomping on the floor. He was uncertain if anyone had heard it over the clanging of metal on metal though.

Just when black rimmed his vision and he thought he was going to pass out a bright ball of red and orange fire exploded dangerously close to his face, heat rolling off of it in waves. Light bathed the pair for a spilt second but a second was all he needed. Link kicked out in an attempt to get away, hitting something solid. The monster released him immediately and let out a strangled shriek of pain. He gasped for air and was grateful when it filled his deprived lungs. Link moved out of the shadows, rubbing his sore throat. He stepped back into the dimly lit section of the hallway where Zelda was just returning her full attention to her own battle.

He would thank her later. For now he settled for reclaiming his fallen weapons and kicking his enemy's as far away from the shadows as possible. At least he had a chance of winning now. The creature emerged from the darkness quite obviously annoyed. It moved slower than before and directed its gaze to the floor, searching for its fallen weapons. Link waited until it got a little farther away from the shadows before making his move.

He performed a back slice, but this time his target couldn't get out of the way fast enough. It let out another cry of pain as it pitched forward onto the ground, a shadowy substance leaking out of the slice he had put in it. Before it could pick itself back up to make an escape Link plunged his sword into its back. It dissipated into shadows with a pitiful squeal, forming briefly into a wisp of shadow that almost reminded him of a poe. Its red eyes flickered once before dying completely and it vanished into the air.

Link let out a small sigh of relief that the monster was gone, but then turned to see how his companions were faring. Zelda seemed to be doing well enough judging by the shadows rolling off her opponent. Kid had been backed into a wall and was struggling to keep the enemy blade away from his neck. Link decided to help and thrust forward from the side once he was close enough. The shadow copy of Kid jumped away from the attack just like Link had expected. This gave Kid enough time to get away from the wall, yelling his thanks over his shoulder as the monster assailed him again.

Link continued to help Kid fend off the creature. His sword sailed through the air and either the monster didn't see it coming or didn't bother to dodge it. Whatever the case it didn't change the outcome. Link struck it with a horizontal slice, but his attack passed straight through the creature as if it wasn't even there.

"What?! But I hit it! Why didn't it do anything?" Link cried out in frustration, "Don't tell me that the only one that can injure it is the person it takes the form of."

"I think," Kid began parrying a blow aimed for his side, "that might," he raised his shield, "be," he ducked under the black blade of his enemy, "the case."

So the monsters were only vulnerable to attacks from the person they were imitating and couldn't be touched by anyone else. If they were in darkness then they were untouchable to everyone. A complicated system so simple that it was irritating. Link backed up so he wouldn't get in the way of the fighting. Now he wasn't sure if he could do much to help his companions out.

A pained shriek met his ears and Link turned his head towards the sound just in time to see a shadowy wisp disappear into the air. Zelda had finally defeated the monster she had been fighting. She caught sight of him watching and joined him.

"Are you hurt?" Link asked her immediately.

"No. I'm alright, Link. How about you? I didn't hit you with that spell did I?" Zelda replied in a worried tone.

"It was close, but I'm fine," Link admitted.

"Shouldn't we help them?" Zelda wondered indicating the two children still fighting the strange creatures.

"We can't," Link explained frowning, "They're the only ones that can defeat those monsters. If they didn't take our forms then we can't touch them."

"Still, we can give them advice," Zelda mused.

"Sure, if we had any to give," Link agreed, a hint of sarcasm in his tone.

"Well, we both defeated the monsters already, so we must know something that they don't," Zelda pointed out.

"All I know is that in shadows they're invincible and that they act exactly the way the original would in battle," Link said, thinking that the information wasn't much, or very helpful.

"I figured out that they can duplicate any other attack that you show them," Zelda added.

"Wait, they can?" Link inquired. He hadn't known that. Now he supposed that it was a good thing that he couldn't get to any of his other weapons. He would have just made the situation worse.

Zelda nodded in confirmation, "Yes, I was using my sword at first and then I used Nayru's Love to block an attack. Later on in the battle the monster used the same move."

They both shouted their pieces of advice along with words of encouragement at the others. Link repeated Zelda's discovery twice just to make sure that they heard it. With Kid's rapidly increasing arsenal Link didn't know what types of items he could possibly be carrying. Link had always noticed the golden bands clasped around the younger boy's wrists but never thought them significant. He hadn't even heard of power bracelets before and the fact that Kid had iron boots was stranger still. Kid claimed that he traveled a lot, but if that was true then what was the reason for it? It hardly seemed like a leisure activity. It was almost as if he had no choice in the matter.

Link could do nothing but speculate. Sure, he could ask but he doubted that he'd get a direct answer. All of their answers to any of his questions so far had been equivocal. Focusing his slightly distracted gaze back to the fight he noticed that Tetra had finally managed to get a hit on the monster that opposed her. It was a decent hit too. Shadows seeped out of the cut, but that didn't seem to faze it much.

Another direct hit and the creature stumbled back, its movements more sluggish than before. Kid was doing better as well. His doppelganger bore various injures, all bleeding shadows. A few minutes later Kid dealt the final blow and the shadow being vanished, leaving nothing behind as proof of its existence. Tetra finished the last monster off when it misjudged the trajectory of her dagger and the weapon went soaring into the creature's chest. It died with a high-pitched wail and the room became silent aside from heavy breathing.

"Is it over?" Tetra dared to shatter the silence after a minute of catching her breath.

Link peered into the darkness behind him. Nothing presented itself. Not even a flicker of life.

"Yeah, I think so," he answered, speaking slowly as if this would do anything to ensure he didn't jinx them.

"Good. I don't want to do that again," Kid groaned sitting down on the floor.

"I second that," Tetra announced sliding her dagger into its sheath and plopping down next to him.

The four of them rested there for what Link estimated to be about ten minutes before moving on. Link took out his lantern and they ventured into the darkness. The only light was birthed from Link's lantern and their Ash-Fire Rings which seemed to glow brighter the farther they went. After a while they glimpsed what looked like fire light and quickened their pace to reach it.

They arrived at the end of the hallway. To their immediate left were what appeared to be steps, smoothed out from the jagged mountain-side. The walls pulsed with an eerie red-tinted light, illuminating the passage with their glow. Link put away his lantern, wishing to save as much of his lantern oil as he could in case they really needed it later.

The foursome began to ascend the steps with Link in the lead. The staircase curved to the left and continued straight. They must have walked the entire length of the last hallway before the steps veered left one last time and delivered them into a passage not unlike the first. The walls glowed brightly here, lighting the room with a reddish orange hue. Beneath their feet slim tiles identical to the ones laid out in the other rooms of the temple were placed in a crimson wave.

Near the middle of the room the floor seemed to give way. They approached the strange sight cautiously. Peering downward showed that it was a pit. It appeared to be bottomless, but it was too dark to be sure. Link didn't want to find out. Stepping away from the edge they viewed the rest of the room. On the other side there seemed to be a lever set into the wall. He didn't know what it did but if the hole was anything to go by it probably revealed a hidden platform of some kind.

"Hey, I think I found a way across," Kid announced and Link turned his attention to where the two children were standing. They were close to the edge of the pit, hugging the right hand wall. His eyes followed where they were indicating. The glowing wall jutted out a few inches over the pit. He couldn't possibly be suggesting….

"I could hang from that piece there and make my way across," Kid explained, pointing at the sliver of rock.

"Let's find a different way across," Zelda proposed, voicing Link's thoughts before he could make them known.

"There isn't another way across unless you can fly," Tetra insisted and Kid backed her up with a nod of his head.

Link sighed, "Let's just look for another way. If we can't find one then…..then I'll go to the other side and pull the lever." After five minutes of fruitless searching they came up empty. There really was no other way across.

"I could go," Kid volunteered.

"No, it's fine. I'll do it," Link replied. He was happy when his response was silence. He didn't want to argue and besides that if Kid slipped and fell it would be his fault for not stopping him while he had the chance.

Link reached out and grabbed the rocky ledge, praying that it could bear his weight. The rock was hot to the touch and the only reason why it wasn't burning him was because of the ring which was a vibrant scarlet hue now. Despite the magical ring the heat seemed to intensify the longer he held his hands in the same place.

He readjusted his grip and pressed down hard before he even tried to take his feet off of the tiled floor, lest he prove too heavy. This was a smart idea on his part for the rock crumbled almost to pieces in his hands and he immediately released it, distancing himself from the edge of the hole.

"Now can I try?" Kid wondered, regarding him expectantly.

"Be careful," was his only response. Kid was forced to venture closer to the edge to grab the wall posing as a ledge. Link watched as the younger boy gripped the rock in his bare hands and tested it a similar way that he had. It held and Kid quickly relocated his hands to a different spot once the original grew too scalding.

Kid was eventually suspended over the pit by his fingertips. Link could tell that he was trying to rush because of the heat producing wall. When he was almost near the middle Kid's left hand slipped off momentarily and Link sucked in a breath that he only let out when Kid regained his hold.

"Don't get hasty. You're more likely to make a mistake that way!" Tetra shouted her advice at him.

"Well, it's hot! It's practically burning my hands! What do you want me to do?" came Kid's curt reply. Tetra's response was a dramatic rolling of her eyes.

Kid made it to the other side after what seemed like forever, but in reality must have only been a couple of minutes. He appeared to inspect his hands briefly before continuing the short distance to the metal lever set into the wall. He pulled it down, and the sound of mechanisms clicking and winding met their ears. Slowly a bridge, if it could even be classified as such, composed of plain square tiles stretched across the gap. Once it spanned the length of the gap the rest of them started across one at a time. The path was thin and with not so much as a single rope to serve as a railing on either side, the danger was apparent.

Despite this they all made it safely across. They barely had time to regroup before a creature appeared at the end of the long hallway. It didn't seem to be a creature created from the shadows like the others were. Link thought that it looked relatively harmless. Small in stature it appeared to be an animal of some kind. However, it didn't closely resemble any animal he had ever seen. Its furry coat was a mixture of colors ranging from white to tan to black. Coal-like eyes were set into its head, giving it a truly innocent look. The animal possessed a long coiled tail. Its fur was spiked up in every possible direction, probably meant to make it look imposing but only succeeding in making it look even more ridiculous.

"Anyone know what that thing is?" Tetra wondered, eyeing the strange creature warily.

"Excuse me, it's very rude to talk about someone when they're standing practically in front of you, little miss," a voice that couldn't be distinguished as either male or female proclaimed suddenly, shocking them all into silence. Did that animal thing just speak?

"Um, sorry?" Tetra ventured, her tone questioning.

"Sorry she says!" mumbled the voice. Link was almost positive now that it was coming from the creature at the end of the hallway. The creature continued, "Why don't you just drop something expensive, watch it break, and tell it "sorry." Tell me if it mends itself. Hmph."

No one else dared to speak so it continued with a sigh, "No matter, let's get to the point then. My name is Alcina although some refer to me as Noisullinasti. That is a bit of a mouthful though, so you may call me whatever you wish; I, frankly, do not care as long as you don't refer to me as "that thing". It's very rude and the more I don't like you, the more difficult this will be for all of you.

Now then, my job, as those of you with brains may have already guessed, is to prevent you from moving on to the next level of the temple. A fun job for me, not such a great experience for those on the receiving end of it though, I'm afraid. Your task is to defeat me. Before we begin I am entitled to offer you a hint to besting me. Do you wish to hear the hint or do you think that your minds are stronger than mine?"

The strange monster, Alcina, gazed at them with its large black eyes patiently awaiting their answer. Link thought this entire occurrence bizarre. What kind of monster willingly gave them hints to defeating it? It had to be a trick…but what if it wasn't? What if there really was a key to defeating it that they wouldn't know about otherwise? Link decided to chance it. After all, words can't hurt them.

"Sure, we'll accept your hint," Link answered for them all.

"Alright then, here it is: 'Strength doesn't come from what you can do, it comes from overcoming the things you once thought you couldn't.' There it is; I grant it reluctantly to you. Let's get on with this then, shall we?"

They barely had time to try to process the hint they had been given before the entire passage shook and they were forced to the ground. When the quaking stopped they dared to raise their heads. The hallway that had stretched out before them was gone and replaced with multiple walls of rock, displayed in seemingly random positions. A maze.

"Is that its great attack? Make us go through a maze? What's the point of that?" Tetra wondered, taking in their new surroundings.

"No idea, but let's continue anyway," Link said, starting in a random direction. After a few minutes of walking it became apparent that the maze was not normal. The walls seemed to shift and whenever they tried to double back they found themselves in unfamiliar territory. At one point Tetra claimed that Link had no sense of direction and took the lead instead which, to no one's surprise, yielded the same results.

Finally Link stopped and put a hand on one of the walls. When it didn't shift under his fingertips he allowed his hand to drop back to his side.

"Well, I'm officially stumped," he announced.

"That makes two of us," Kid agreed.

"You two give up too easily," Tetra huffed, crossing her arms over her chest.

"I never said I was giving up," Link protested, "I just said that I don't know what to do, but if you have a plan then by all means, tell us."

"I never said I had a plan," Tetra muttered looking away.

"Truly disappointing," the voice of Alcina echoed around them, "I guess you need more than a maze for motivation."

Behind them, lava began to trickle down slowly from the walls of the maze. When the trails met up at the bottom they combined into a single blob. This was definitely not normal lava, seeing as it only congregated to one spot. The blob became larger. They watched in terrified awe as the blob of lava molded itself into a monster that grew to such a height that its head nearly brushed the ceiling.

Further incentive was not needed. Before the giant made purely of lava could even take a step forward they were all bolting in the opposite direction. The foursome weaved around corners and hurdled other obstacles that popped into existence at their feet. The monster, fortunately for them, was slow and was not an expert at dragging its hulking mass around the labyrinth. Despite this, it seemed to be able to break down momentarily and squeeze through cracks in the walls which made its travel a bit swifter.

Eventually the group encountered an obstacle that they could not go around. Spikes covered the floor for the next few yards. There wasn't even a minuscule chance of them jumping over it. Behind them the menacing lava giant was slowly advancing, blocking off any other means of escape. This wasn't good. Link didn't even want to begin to think of what would happen once the monstrosity reached them. He hoped that the Ash-Fire rings would somehow protect them.

"Hey, look! Vines!" Tetra exclaimed, and Link turned his attention back to his companions. They were close to one of the walls which did, in fact, have vines covering it. The green vegetation crawled along the entire wall.

"Was that there before?" Link wondered, sure that he would have noticed it if it had been.

"Who cares?!" Tetra cried starting to climb them after Kid, "Just come on already!" Link followed after the others, deciding not to question it. The vines were strong and held their weight as they scrambled across as quickly as possible. They all made it to the other side just as the monster reached the spikes.

It ignited the vines with a single touch before pouring itself over the spikes and progressing towards them. They ran down the corridor created by the walls of the maze. Presented with no other options they turned left and were rewarded with a dead end.

"You have got to be kidding me," he heard Kid mutter under his breath.

Link looked around the corner they had come from. The giant had reformed itself and was dragging its feet towards them. It would be upon them in a minute or two for sure. He tore his gaze off of the approaching monster and back to his younger companions who were pounding and pushing on the wall, yelling things so fast that he couldn't comprehend them. Zelda was nowhere in sight.

"Where's Zelda?" he asked them, raising his voice slightly to make himself heard over their shouts.

Kid stopped what he was doing to look over his shoulder and answer, "She just told us she had an idea and then walked towards the wall, but she didn't hit it! She went right through it like it wasn't even there!"

"But it's obviously here. We're banging on it and we can't get through!" Tetra added, pounding the wall one last time to prove her point.

"Are you sure she walked through and wasn't pulled through?" Link asked hurrying over to them and putting a hand on the wall.

"Positive," Kid answered him with a nod. If Zelda said that she had a plan then she was probably alright, but she should have at least informed them of it first.

"Hey, princess! You might want to come back and tell us how you did that!" Tetra shouted at the wall. There was no reply which worried him. Why would Zelda not reply? Had her plan gone wrong? Link pressed on the wall, but it remained stubbornly solid. Glancing behind him he found the monster sluggishly rounding the corner. Suddenly the intelligent little creature called Alcina wasn't as harmless as he'd first assumed. Both children pressed their backs to the wall as they noticed the approaching lava giant.

Link stopped putting pressure on the wall and turned around, trying to detect a weak point on the monster in front of them. There didn't seem to be one. It was made completely of lava. Usually the weak point of monsters were their eyes, but this one didn't have any. In fact, it was completely faceless.

Suddenly the walls of the labyrinth and the monster disappeared in a flurry of tiny red particles that lingered in the air for a short time before fading away. Kid and Tetra each gave a small shout of alarm as the wall they were pressing against disappeared and they found themselves on the floor. Link looked around for the princess and found her cloaked form standing at the end of the hallway.

After the two children picked themselves up from the floor they all ran to the end of the passage to meet her.

"Are you okay? What happened? Where'd you go? Why did everything disappear just now?" Link questioned as soon as they were within a reasonable distance of each other that shouting was unnecessary.

"Link, one question at a time please," Zelda replied, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips.

"Did we win?" Kid inquired and Zelda answered with a nod of her head.

"Okay, how did we win?" Link interrogated her.

"We won because I was the only one paying attention," Zelda informed him, a hint of pride in her voice.

"Just explain what you mean," Link pleaded, genuinely confused and curious to know what had just transpired.

"Everything was an illusion from the start," Zelda announced.

"What? You mean none of it was real?" Kid wondered in amazement.

"Exactly. The maze, the monster, they were just mirages," Zelda confirmed her previous statement.

"But we could touch everything. It seemed real enough to me. Everything had substance to it," Tetra objected.

Zelda shook her head and continued her explanation, "Everything was solid because you thought that it was."

"Well, how did you figure out that it wasn't?" Link wanted to know.

"First of all, the creature appeared out of nowhere. As did the maze, monster, and obstacles. That in itself was a sign that something wasn't right," Zelda began, "Secondly, the creature that called itself Alcina gave us quite a few hints in its speech. It asked us if we wanted a hint, but it also questioned us if we  _thought_  that our minds were strong enough to not need a clue. The hint it gave us was actually quite helpful and basically told us that to find the strength to defeat it we needed to think that we could do something we thought we couldn't.

When we admitted to not knowing how to get through the maze the creature spoke to us and created a monster for 'motivation'. That got me to thinking how it knew exactly where we were in the maze to cause the monster to spawn so close to us. The walls were solid and there was no way to see through them. By the time we reached the spikes I had the suspicion that the creature was somehow contorting the maze and everything in it with its mind, so I tried to do the same thing. Originally, there wasn't anything on the wall near the spikes, but I simply thought that vines could be helpful as a way across and they appeared there. Later when we reached the dead end I was almost positive that everything we were seeing wasn't actually there so I tried to think hard enough to convince myself that there wasn't a wall there. It worked and I could go through. The maze wasn't there anymore. From that point I made my way to the end of the hallway and with one hit from my sword the creature disappeared along with its influence."

"Wow, so it was just playing mind games with us?" Tetra summed up.

"That's one way you could put it I suppose," Zelda said.

"So, if you figured all of this out as we went, why didn't you say anything?" Link wondered.

"Because I was doubtful that I was right and by the time I figured everything out there was no way for me to tell you. After I broke through the mirages I could hear and see you all, but you didn't seem to be able to see or hear me, even when I tried calling out to you. The illusion had convinced your minds completely and you couldn't hear or see anything in reality which was where I was when I stepped out of the 'maze'," Zelda responded.

"Whatever, as long as we won. Let's go to the next floor," Tetra urged them, suddenly impatient. They made their way to the steps to the left of them. These steps were identical to the last in terms of their construction and just as long as the last flight. It was no surprise when the carved out staircase led them to a corridor almost identical to the previous two.

The walls pulsed like a beating heart, and Link was sure by now that the uniquely tiled floors were meant to resemble a lava flow. The passage was lit just as well, if not better, than the last had been. Nothing presented itself, but Link didn't lower his guard. The other monster hadn't revealed itself right away either.

Their footsteps echoed on the tiles as they cautiously progressed down the hallway. Link glared at every shadow as if it was an enemy but nothing made itself known. Everything was quiet and he didn't like it one bit.

"Watch out!" Zelda's voice startled him and he swiveled around to see what was there. A humanoid figure was rushing at their small group and Link grabbed Kid's arm, dragging him closer to him so the monster would miss its mark as Zelda pulled Tetra to the opposite side with her. The iridescent skinned creature sliced the air with a red handled scythe, its blade a shining silver. The monster took two agile hops back and turned its grotesque face towards the girls. Its eyes were completely black as if it bore no irises, only pupils. It mouth was contorted into an unnerving sharp-toothed smile.

It didn't make a sound, just tilted its head as if the girls were a specimen it had never laid its haunting eyes on before. Tetra was staring back at it seeming to be mesmerized for some reason. She didn't draw her weapon, but took a step forward towards the creature. Zelda grabbed her wrist and demanded, "What are you doing?" to which she got no reply. Something wasn't right. Tetra wordlessly tried to take another step forward, but Zelda's firm grip on her right wrist restricted her from doing so. Something was wrong. The younger girl tried to shake Zelda's hand off, never removing her eyes from the monster. Zelda had no intention of letting go, and made this apparent when she grabbed Tetra's other wrist with her free hand and pulled her back. At this point Tetra suddenly came to the realization that she was being restricted and desperately tried to make Zelda lose her grip.

"Do something about the monster!" Zelda called, turning her head momentarily to address them, "I think it's influencing her somehow!"

"Like an illusion?" Kid wondered.

"Maybe, I don't know. Just do something fast! I can't hold her back forever!" Zelda ordered them.

Link didn't need to be told twice. He drew his sword and shield and ran towards the monster. Kid followed him. As soon as they were within hitting distance of the creature it whirled around on them, swinging its massive scythe horizontally. Link ducked under it and was about to thrust forward when Tetra screamed, "No! Stop it!" Caught off guard by her outburst the creature nearly got him with its next swing, but he retreated just in time. Kid took his place when he was forced to back out. Despite Tetra's pleas for him to stop fighting, Kid continued. The monster's defenses were weak and he quickly got a hit on it. However, his sword passed harmlessly through it as if it was made of nothing but air.

The monster swung its weapon and Kid just barely had enough time to take a step back and raise his shield. When the scythe struck his defenses the force caused him to slide back a good distance, almost causing him to hit the wall. Kid lowered the shield, confusion written on his face. Link was puzzled as well. The monster itself wasn't an illusion. It had been able to strike Kid's shield with ease. Even if it was just a mirage they should be able to hit it judging by the logic of the last monster they fought.

"Guys, help me! I can't hold her!" Zelda exclaimed and they both turned to assess the situation. Zelda was struggling to hold the younger girl back. Tetra had nearly wrenched herself free. Both of them hurried over and Link restrained the frantic girl by her arms, nearly picking her up off the ground in doing so. She wriggled in his grasp, trying to escape.

"Tetra, calm down. Whatever you're seeing isn't real. It's a monster," Link tried to console her. His words fell on deaf ears though. She continued to struggle, not even missing a beat.

"If it is an illusion then it's likely as strong as the last. That means that she can't hear us," Zelda predicted before sighing, "I see you didn't have any luck at killing the monster."

"We don't stand a chance," Link managed to get out as he fought to keep Tetra from running to the monster without hurting her, "We can't even touch it!"

"You can't? I wonder if it's similar to the first monsters we fought then…" Zelda mused.

"What do you mean?" Kid asked, urging her to continue her thought.

"Well, on the first floor the monsters assumed the form of us, but we could only harm the one that looked like us. If we tried to hurt one of the others our attacks hit empty air no matter where we struck. Yet, the monsters did not seem to be as restricted, seeing as they could touch us whether or not we looked like them. My point is, I think that since it is targeting Tetra, then she's the only one that can harm it."

"She won't do that though!" Link protested, immediately pulling Tetra back when she managed to take a step forward, "Not unless we find a way to tell her that it isn't real."

"Wait!" Tetra suddenly cried out, and they all turned their attention to the monster who had begun to slowly back up. Tetra fought to get free from her bonds with more force than before, but Link's grip was too strong.

"She hasn't taken her eyes off of that monster the entire time. Maybe that's how it creates the illusion? Kid suggested.

"Possibly. If that's the case then if we cover her eyes we might be able to get through to her," Zelda concluded.

"It's worth a shot," Kid shrugged, stepping in front of Tetra. He placed his hands over her eyes. She still struggled in Link's grasp, but he detected a slight hesitation to it.

"Tetra, can you hear us now?" Kid questioned her.

"Y-yes," she stuttered, her voice sounding faint and smaller than usual. She almost stopped trying to resist.

"Listen to me," Link commanded, "There's a monster and you're the only one that can defeat it."

"A monster? Where? I never saw one," Tetra's voice was barely audible, as if she wasn't entirely sure if she should be speaking or not.

"Well, there is one, but it's making you see something else. All you need to know, is that it isn't real, okay?" Link tried to explain.

"Of course it isn't real. There is no monster. Just chains holding me back," Tetra insisted, a bit louder than before. Chains? So covering her eyes hadn't completely pulled her out of the illusion like he'd hoped it would. Did she know it was them talking to her?

Link attempted to play along, "What are the chains holding you back from?"

"Someone important," Tetra answered him.

"Who?" Link pressed.

"My mother," Tetra replied without hesitation. He supposed that made sense then. If she was really seeing her mother in place of the monster then it was only natural for her to want to go to her. She was far from home, after all. She had to miss her family, and the monster was feeding off of those emotions.

Kid's eyes widened and he let out a small gasp.

"What?" Link wondered, suddenly fearful that the creature had crept up behind him when they were conversing with Tetra. Looking past Kid he could plainly see that the monster had not moved from its spot. It just stood there patiently, its head cocked to one side, staring at them in fascination.

Link suddenly realized what it all meant and the reason for Kid's look of horror. It meant that Tetra had to kill her own mother. Technically it wasn't her, but to Tetra it might as well have been. He wished that he could strike down the monster for her and became angry knowing that he couldn't. Link didn't even understand why they had to go through these temples or solve the riddle to get Tetra, Kid, and their friends back home. The more he thought about it, the more it seemed like a bunch of pointless nonsense. He suddenly had the suspicion that the children were from some other point in time. The idea sounded ridiculous and implausible to him, but at the same time it was the only explanation that relatively made sense, if even just a little bit. It could explain why they didn't want to talk about anything.

Link was jostled out of his thoughts when Tetra spoke up again, "I can't even see her anymore. There's a blindfold over my eyes, and now there are voices in my head."

It was official. She didn't know it was them speaking to her. It was as if she'd forgotten them entirely. The illusion was strong and they were only allowed to be a hidden part of it.

"Yes, we're voices in your head," Kid agreed, playing along with her to get her to listen, "But we're here to help you."

"Help me? How?" Tetra wondered.

"By telling you something that you seem to have either forgotten or are ignoring. Proof that what you're seeing is really a monster," Kid pledged.

"I don't think anything you tell me will make me believe you," Tetra sighed, her voice doubtful.

"You said that you see your mother, right?" Kid asked.

"Yes," Tetra answered him slowly, not knowing where he was going with it. Link thought he knew. He was going to remind her that they weren't at their home so her mother couldn't possibly be there. Smart kid.

"Well, that's impossible," Kid stated.

"Why?" Tetra wondered curiously.

"Because…." Kid hesitated here, biting his lip as if contemplating if he should finish the sentence. He decided to end it a second later, "…your mother is dead." Link was not expecting to hear that and he momentarily loosened his grip on Tetra in surprise. He tightened it a second later, but Tetra didn't seem to notice. Was Kid just toying with her? Telling her that her mother was deceased when she really wasn't just to get Tetra to realize that it wasn't real, or…was he serious?

Tetra didn't say anything to that, just gave a small gasp as if in realization.

"Do you believe me now?" Kid whispered, his head bowed so his bangs shielded his eyes.

"I…think so. Yeah, I remember," Tetra responded. Did that response mean that Kid wasn't lying? Did it mean that Tetra really didn't have a mother? Link began to wonder if she had a family and then mentally chastised himself for thinking like that. Of course she had a family of some kind! She had to. Just because her mother was dead didn't mean that the rest of her family was.

"I can make the chains disappear but the only way I can do that is if you promise to defeat the monster, no matter who it may look like," Kid told her, raising his head.

Tetra quieted contemplated the offer before replying, "Alright. I promise.

"Good. When the blindfold comes off we won't be able to talk anymore, but just remember that whoever you see isn't real. It's a monster," Link reminded her.

"I will," Tetra said her tone a bit more confident than before. Kid removed his hands and stepped aside. Again, Tetra's unfocused gaze transfixed on the iridescent figure of the monster, but this time she didn't move towards it. Link reluctantly released her, praying that they had convinced her enough. Still, he knew it'd be hard for her to do.

The creature opened its arms wide as if inviting her into an embrace. Realizing that she was free, Tetra straightened and slowly removed her dagger, dark blue eyes focused on the monster. She took a small step forward as if uncertain. When nothing restrained her she took another step and eventually built up enough confidence to run.

She reached the monster in seconds, stopping in front of it. Link and the others stood tense, ready to intervene if necessary. The monster made no immediate move to harm her. Tetra raised her dagger but didn't bring it down. Even from a distance Link could see her hand trembling. He feared that she'd lose her grip on the dagger, but the weapon remained in her unsteady hand.

Quickly she brought the weapon down in the center of the monster's chest. The creature immediately shattered like glass, multicolored shards littering the floor. She dropped her dagger with a quick intake of breath and they hurried to her side.

"It wasn't real, I promise," Link swore, putting a hand on her shoulder. He noticed that her eyes were no longer glossed over. They were focused and alert, yet a haziness still lingered in them.

"I know," Tetra said, stooping to pick up her fallen dagger and slide it back into her sheath. Her voice was almost devoid of emotion, her face stony.

Before anyone could utter another word a monster identical to the first appeared and they were all forced to scatter to avoid getting hit by its weapon. This time it only had eyes for Kid. Link watched as Kid's eyes became glassy. His expression was one of shock. He stood there staring for a while, but instead of taking a step towards the monster, he unsheathed his sword and shield.

It seemed as though Kid remembered that it was his enemy, but at the same time he hesitated to move. Link hoped that Kid's knowledge of what it really was would help him see through the illusion. Kid loosened his grip on his sword briefly before tightening his hold on it more firmly. There was nothing Link could do but watch as Kid charged the monster, and with a yell, perhaps to distract himself from who he thought he was seeing, swung his blade. It connected with more than enough force in the creature's side to cause its being to shatter into pieces.

The strange look left Kid's eyes, but it was replaced with sadness. Link wondered who he had seen but decided not to ask for fear of upsetting him even more. They were left little time for recovery when a figure, different from the rest, quickly approached them. The figure was tall and was veiled by a cloak with intricate white designs burned into its fabric. Turning around and gazing into his eyes was the one person he thought that he'd never see again. Midna.

She was standing not too far away from him, and he didn't seem capable of removing his eyes from hers. Blinking was suddenly an inconvenience. They'd been separated for so long and finally he could see her again! The Twilight Princess in her true form. Her figure was lithe and she smiled at him, her strangely beautiful eyes holding his and showing no signs of releasing him. He didn't care of course. It was almost too good to be true…Link suddenly realized what he had failed to before. Standing before him appeared to be Midna but it wasn't. Not really. It was just an illusion.

' _It's fake!'_  His mind screamed at him, but a small part of him still refused to listen. He couldn't shake the "what if" feeling that nagged him at the back of his mind as he drew his weapon. What if it wasn't an illusion? What if Midna had really found a way back and….Link stopped himself before he went too far. No! It wasn't her. It was a monster. He tried to picture the monster in her place, but his memory failed him. He didn't remember what it had even looked like. His eyes only perceived Midna.

Link tried to distract himself by tearing his eyes off of her to search for the faces of his companions, but he simply could not. No matter how hard he tried to redirect his gaze, he found his eyes locked onto the woman opposing him. It seemed like they were the only people in the entire room.

Tightening his grip on his sword he began to advance on his friend whose smile had fallen into a frown when he took the first step. She took an uncertain step backward, her face a mixture of confusion and terror. Once Link was close enough he swung his sword but stopped short of her neck. She stiffened, her expression filled of horror, her eyes pleading with him. A single tear escaped her eye.

Link faltered, lowering his sword slightly. A tiny sympathetic smile graced her lips and she slowly began to reach out her hand towards his face. He couldn't do it. His sword was positioned to kill her, but he couldn't bring himself to go through with it. Not when she was staring at him. Not when he was forced to look at her. Her hand crept closer to his cheek.

' _It's not real!'_ he insisted silently as he gazed back at her,  _'The real Midna is in the Twilight Realm. The only link between the world of twilight and the world of light was destroyed. It isn't possible for her to be here in front of you!'_

Despite knowing the truth it didn't make swinging his sword any easier. Her hand hovered next to his face, almost touching him. That's it. He knew he needed to do something, but he wasn't capable of doing anything when he was looking at her. Forcing himself to close his eyes, Link found that all of his hesitation disappeared, and he swung his sword. It struck something hard and the sound of tinkling glass met his ears.

Opening his eyes he was greeted by a pile of iridescent fragments at his feet. He stepped back taking a shaky breath to calm himself. The creature had almost got him. Now he understood what Kid and Tetra had gone through minutes before. The disguise was impossible to see past and the wonderful sight of his old partner and friend had clouded his mind.

Another one of the crystal-like monsters jumped out and this time it peered at the princess. Zelda held its gaze for a mere second before drawing her sword, taking a breath as if bracing herself for what she was about to do, and running at the creature. She sliced it without hesitation and it broke in the same manner as the others.

"Wow, I never believed the whole 'Ice Queen' title until now," Link spoke up, shocked that she had managed to kill the monster so quickly.

"I am not," Zelda argued indignantly, "I just have the sense to know what's real and what's fake. Besides, we have been attacked three times already. I knew it was a monster the entire time."

"But…still," Kid said, "It had to look real. Didn't it?"

"Of course it did," Zelda answered him calmly, replacing her weapon into its sheath. This statement caused Link to wonder exactly who she had seen. It hadn't seemed difficult for her to complete the task. Then again, maybe it had been. She was normally pretty good at keeping her composure, no matter the situation.

Link noticed that Tetra hadn't said anything for a while and turned his attention to where the girl was standing. She had her arms crossed and was staring hard at the crimson floor tiles as if they were the most interesting thing in the world. He had gotten quite used to the fiery girl commenting on everything, so her silence concerned him.

"Let's all take a break before we move on," Link suggested. He honestly thought that they all needed it after that ordeal. Besides, if he remembered the map correctly, there were only three levels to the temple and a circular room was at the end of the third one. That was probably the guardian's chamber and, as they were now, attempting to face it would no doubt be disastrous.

Everyone agreed with him, and they all settled down in the middle of the hallway, lost in their own thoughts. No one spoke to each other, but for once the silence didn't bother them.


	25. From the Ashes of Din's Fire...

"W-wait! You could…You could come with us!" Tetra exclaimed suddenly, her words hesitant at first but filling with hope as she continued, "Yes, of course. We have a ship. We can find it. We  _will_  find it. The land that will be the next Hyrule. So…"

So…why hadn't he? Why had King Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule stayed behind? He had told them both it was because the land they found would not be Hyrule, but that wasn't a valid explanation in Kid's mind. Just because that land wouldn't be Hyrule didn't mean that King, as he had taken to calling him, had to drown with the kingdom. It didn't mean that he wouldn't be welcome in the new land, so why didn't he come with them?

This question had plagued Kid's mind ever since the ancient kingdom had fallen victim to the suffocating blue waves of his world. It had gotten better over the past year, for he found ways to distract himself, and time was a helpful medicine too. Now though….it all came flooding back to him. His entire quest to save his sister, accompanied by King, who turned out to be more important than he had ever imagined. While he may have been Tetra's ancestor, he had been Kid's friend and guided him through his adventure until the end.

Tears threatened, but he held them back. No one else was crying and suddenly Kid felt guilty for having the tears pooling behind his eyes in the first place. Tetra had gone through worse. He knew that her mother had been close to her. She rarely spoke of her mother, but when she did, her eyes shined with admiration and her words were always chosen carefully and with pride. Kid didn't know how Tetra's mother had died, she'd never told him, and it was a sore subject among her crew, but nonetheless he could tell that her mother had died valiantly, most likely fighting.

Kid glanced at Tetra who was seated next to him. She had her head bowed and eyes closed, possibly trying to hide the fact that she wanted to let tears mix with the brilliant red of the tiles. He'd never seen her cry before, but there was a first time for everything. Given the circumstances he wouldn't blame her. She had just gone through a nightmare. The only difference was, she'd been awake the entire time. Tetra's eyes suddenly opened and she caught him looking at her. Her eyes were as blue as the depths of the ocean and just as suffocating at the moment for they did not hide tears in them. They hid fire. She turned away from him with a quiet huff.

Confused, Kid returned to staring at the ground like everyone else, his tears forgotten. He knew Tetra well enough by now to know when she was mad at him. Usually he knew what he had done to displease her, but this time the reason eluded him. It wasn't like he had summoned the monster. In fact, he had helped pull her out of its spell with the reminder of her deceased mother. Suddenly he understood her enmity towards him. He had practically announced the fact in front of everyone. He knew that telling their companions about their home was definitely not acceptable. Their family situations were a different matter though. Sure, it wasn't necessary information to share, but it wouldn't hurt their cause if their companions knew about it. Still, Kid knew that Tetra realized this as well. Her hostility came from the fact that the information wasn't his to distribute. It was hers, and he'd given it away without a second thought, but if he hadn't Tetra would have been dead. They would have had no way to convince her of the illusion. Kid decided it was the monster's fault, not his, and if she was going to be cross with anyone it should be with whoever created the monster.

He didn't know how much longer they sat there reflecting on the dark deed they had been forced to perform before they decided to progress down the remainder of the hallway. When they reached the end a large arched door was set into the left wall. It did not glow like the walls of the room. It stood plainly against the red backdrop of the hallway. A scarlet gem was set into its center, just like the first door they had encountered, and broad stroked carvings dusted its surface.

Kid lifted up the door and Link helped him keep it up as they all filed through into the next room. A blast of hot air hit his face when he stepped inside and as the door slammed shut behind him, a distinct grind of metal caused him to turn around. A steel grate had slid over the door, shutting them in like animals in a cage. Turning his attention back to the huge room laid out before him he immediately noticed the nature of the floor. A circular metal grate rested beneath their feet while the walls bled with the same strange light as in the other levels of the temple. What astonished him was not the floor itself though. It was what lie underneath it that startled him. A pool of lava bubbled far beneath the metal ground.

Something compelled him to look up, and Kid was left staring at what he perceived to be a closed blossom made entirely of fire. He watched, along with his companions who had followed his gaze towards the high domed ceiling, as the flower shifted a little from its perch, sprinkling down embers like otherworldly lightening bugs. It detached completely from the ceiling and unfolded as it drew closer to the ground. Before it hit the metal floor it succeeded in fully uncovering itself and a great beat of massive its wings kept it aloft, floating above the floor. Its effort succeeded in creating a powerful gust of wind that blew them off their feet and into the wall.

As he groggily stood up, shaking his head to clear it, he finally got a good look at the guardian. It wasn't a flower like he'd first thought. It was a gigantic bird constructed completely of orange flames. He had a bad history with birds. Kid drew his weapon as his companions were still picking themselves up off the floor. The bird, whose size seemed to rival that of the Helmaroc King's, looked them over before letting out a surprisingly melodic cry that almost sounded to Kid like laughter. It threw back its head for an instant which gave everyone enough time to finish getting to their feet before it unleashed a jet of fire from its long golden beak straight at them. Kid dove to the right and rolled to distance himself further from the deadly fire. Glancing behind him he realized that he was alone. The others had fled in the opposite direction.

The guardian seemed unsure of who to go after, but it found a way to compromise. Drifting closer to the ground, it spread out its magnificent gold tipped wings of orange and red and spun around, creating a tornado of fire around it. As if this wasn't imposing enough, jets of fire randomly spewed out of the funnel and Kid was forced to run to avoid getting hit. He needed a plan. The others were on the other side of the room dodging the tendrils of fire when they came their way and Kid was trying to make his way to them while doing the same.

' _Okay, think,'_  he ordered himself,  _'What can defeat a giant bird made of_   _fire?_ ' An idea began to form in his mind, and as he became lost in thought a tentacle of flame shot straight for him. He noticed it just in time and ducked low, so it went sailing over his head. The fire scattered when it hit the wall next to him. Kid sheathed his sword to dig in his pouch for his bow while keeping a watchful eye out for any fire that was bold enough to reach its burning fingers out to him.

Kid had just managed to pull out his bow and quiver of arrows when the bird of flames finally stopped twirling around the center of the room. It flew up towards the ceiling, elegant tail feathers leaving behind a trail of lingering embers in its wake. Kid watched it as he slung the quiver over his shoulder, wondering what it was planning now. He found out a minute later.

The fire encased guardian charged towards the center of the room. Before its head would have met with the ground it twirled its body around so its talons grasped the metal grated floor and slammed its entire weight down. The floor shuddered once, as if the bird intimidated it too, and dropped. Unprepared for this, Kid stumbled in a futile attempt to keep his footing. It wasn't long before he fell on his backside with a shout. His companion's screams of surprise mixed with his own as they lost the battle with gravity.

Suddenly everything came to an abrupt stop, and the guardian released its grip on the floor, taking to the sky once again. Kid scrambled to his feet, grabbing arrows that had fallen out of his quiver. Looking up he noticed that the ceiling was higher than before.  _'No,'_  he realized,  _'the floor's lower.'_  He peered down below the grates to confirm his suspicion. The pool of deadly liquid was dramatically closer than before. The surrounding air was thicker too and Kid was surprised that his clothes didn't catch on fire right then. Glancing at his ring he noticed that it shone with an intensity he hadn't had the pleasure of viewing before. It was probably the only thing that was keeping him from bursting into flames at the moment.

Kid turned his attention back to the bird. It had taken a particular interest in the group of three on the other side of the room. This was a good thing for him. It would give him time to power up his arrow. While he had plenty of magic, he did not have quite as many arrows as he'd like. Seeing as he only had ten, he'd have to be careful.

Another difficulty presented itself as well. The magic that the Queen of Fairies had endowed him with wasn't that simple to use. It used normal arrows but coating the tip in the exact magic he wanted was a different thing entirely. If he wanted fire arrows he had to call forth the fire magic from where the fairy queen had placed it inside of him. To do that, he had to entice it with thoughts of heat and fire. In this environment he'd be able to ignite the tip of his arrow without effort, but that was fire. Ice was a different story in his current situation.

Actually, it had always been the one he had struggled with the most in the first place. The Great Sea never saw the wonder of winter. It was pretty warm no matter the season. Ice Ring Isle seemed to bottle the cold weather up all year round, so the rest of the islands could never feel it. Kid lived a life of tropical weather, so imagining cold things was not easy despite his many travels.

Kid notched an arrow, wincing slightly at the stinging in his hands. Climbing over that hole earlier hadn't been too kind to his palms. While his Ash-Fire Ring had spared his hands from burns it did nothing to protect him from the rough edge of the wall. In the end, the jagged rock did a good job of scraping up his hands.

Trying to ignore the way the wood of his bow rubbed against the tiny wounds, he attempted to call forth the ice magic. _'Ice Ring Isle is cold,'_  he reminded himself, trying to remember the biting of the air, and the ice that had caused him to fall so many times as well as the frigid water surrounding the island. Just as he felt the power begin to come out of its shell a blast of fire shot out in front of him. Kid stumbled back, startled at how close it had been to his face.

To his chagrin, the ice had retreated just as he had from the hungry flames. Paying attention to the guardian once again he realized that it was executing another one of its fire spins in the center of the room. He'd have to keep moving to lower his chances of being struck, but there was a problem. Running generated even more heat than what was already in the room which complicated his goal even more.

Kid rolled out of the way of another jet of flame and notched his arrow again, attempting to concentrate.  _'Ice, think ice,'_  he willed himself as he attempted to keep out of harm's way. He pictured the ice keese that had succeeded at immobilizing him multiple times and the flurry of snowflakes that persisted even inside the deepest cavities of the permanently frozen island. He felt the power emerging from his chest and traveling invisibly, with a slightly chilled touch, towards the weapon in his hands. A blue tint covered the arrowhead. Almost, but not quite there yet. It just needed further encouragement. He imagined a cold wind whistling through the sheets of ice on the isle and the tip of his arrow was encased in jagged ice. Frost flowed off the arrowhead and blew towards his face. Kid didn't mind this, it only helped him hold his concentration and provided him with some relief from the scorching heat of the room.

Aiming his arrow at the dancing flame-bird in the center of the room, Kid pulled back the bowstring. After all that effort, he didn't want to miss.  _'Wait and….Fire!'_ Kid thought to himself. He released the arrow, but noticed his mistake as soon as he did so. Immediately he wished he could grab it back, but it was too late. The arrowhead burst into flames, overpowering the ice in just a second and rushing to meet its mark in the center of the room.

The bird didn't even falter in its dizzying revolution for the arrow itself had burned away as soon as it touched the flames, its magic mixing with the raging inferno. Kid couldn't believe what he had just done and stared in disbelief at the tornado of fire that should have been an ice sculpture by now. He blamed the atmosphere for the condition of his arrow. Just one thought of fire, even out of context, shattered the fragile ice poised delicately on the tip of his arrow.

Begrudgingly pulling out another arrow from his quiver and running to escape a beam of fire, Kid attempted to retrieve the ice magic. It was only slightly easier this time because he could still feel the memory of its cold breath on his face. Finally managing to bath the tip of the arrow in the exact magic he wanted, Kid aimed once again at the bird who had paused in its spinning and was about to take to the sky again.

He wasn't going to let it get far though. Kid loosed the arrow and it cut through the air on a predestined course for the guardian. It struck the bird in the side, but this didn't seem to change the final result. The bird of flames became imprisoned in a shell of ice and fell the short distance to the ground. Kid quickly ran around to the other side of the room to meet up with his companions who were looking at the bird, confused at its sudden transformation.

"Did you do that?" Link wondered, noticing his arrival.

"Yup," he answered shortly.

"How?" Princess Zelda asked, seeming surprised by his previous answer.

"Um, ice arrows," Kid said, showing his bow to them in case they hadn't seen it.

"Where do you even get ice arrows from?" Link questioned, incredulous.

"Well, it's magic…" Kid trailed off, not sure if mentioning the Queen of Fairies was appropriate.

"Who cares what it is?" Tetra cut in suddenly, "It's not going to stay frozen forever, so if we're going to do something we have to do it soon."

Kid knew she was right and glanced over at the frozen guardian. It didn't show any signs of breaking free of its bonds but given another minute or two he knew that it probably would. Wordlessly, he exchanged his bow and arrows for his Skull Hammer, earning him a couple more baffled looks.

"Where do you get this stuff?" Link queried.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Tetra taunted.

"Yeah, I would. That's why I'm asking," Link returned.

Kid just shrugged and gripped the handle of the large hammer tighter before running towards the center of the room and swinging the head into the frozen bird with as much force as he could muster. The recoil sent him stumbling back a few steps. Once he regained his footing he raised his head. To his dismay he had not shattered it. He didn't understand. That usually worked with one hit.

"Hit it again!" Tetra advised from somewhere behind him. He raised the Skull Hammer again, this time bringing it down vertically instead of horizontally. This didn't get him the result he wanted either, and he lost his balance, ending up on the hot metal floor. The recoil was not fun to deal with, and he was reminded instantly of why he chose to use the hammer as little as possible. Kid was quick to get to his feet but reluctant to try again. He was barely cracking the surface.

"Let me try," Link spoke up, approaching him from behind. Kid turned to look and was surprised to find his companion holding a large ball crafted from metal, a long chain attached to it.

"Whoa, what's that?" Kid wondered, staring at the weapon in awe. Just looking at it he knew that it held power.

"It's cool right?" Link said, flashing him a smile.

"Epic!" Kid agreed.

"Stop talking about weapons like they're toys and do something already!" Tetra shouted at them.

"You might want to stand back. I don't want to hit you accidentally," Link suggested. Kid did as he was told, keeping the hammer in his hands in case it was needed again.

He watched in amazement as Link twirled the weapon in the air for a few moments before launching it towards the paralyzed being. It connected with brutal force and the ice shattered into pieces, freeing the creature inside. That wasn't supposed to happen. The bird was supposed to shatter  _with_  the ice.

The guardian's fiery plumage wasn't as vibrant as usual. Its glow was faint and it didn't even attempt to fly. Link put away the ball and chain and distanced himself from the creature. As Kid replaced his Skull Hammer and tried to retrieve his bow the bird ignited in a flurry of fire, brighter than before. With a strangled cry the fire dispersed and ash floated down in its place. The bird had been completely destroyed.

Once the remains of the guardian had settled into a messy pile in the middle of the room a strangely shaped bottle came to rest on the peak. Inside pulsed a red orb. That was Din's Tear, he was sure of it! Before any of them could rush forward to grab it, the ashes of the guardian ignited and the bird of flames unfolded its feathers of fire. It let out a loud cry as if to announce its arrival and beat its wings to get into the air.

Kid braced himself, so he wasn't blown away. Peering upward showed him that the guardian was very much alive. It flew around the room as if stretching its wings.

"Hey, doesn't it look smaller to you?" Tetra commented, gazing at the bird as well. Now that she mentioned it, it did. The body and wings that bore it weren't nearly as big as last time, and its beak was a bit shorter as well.

"I noticed that some of the ashes fell through the hole in the grate instead of resting on the pile. Maybe that's why?" Princess Zelda suggested.

"If that's true then if we can get all of its ashes to fall into the lava then it can't revive itself," Link pointed out.

"Or we could just take the bottle from the ashes, so it can't regenerate," Kid proposed. The last guardian had been powered by the tear, so it would make to sense for this one to work in a similar way.

Link considered this idea before nodding, "Yeah, that would probably be easier."

The guardian had finished its aerial show and flew towards the domed ceiling. Kid knew what that meant. It was going to dive towards the ground and force the floor down again. He knew that they couldn't stand another one of those hits. They'd be swimming in lava if it succeeded.

"Hey Kid, you might want to hurry up with that ice arrow," Tetra urged him upon coming to the same realization.

Kid said nothing, just pulled out his bow and arrows. He notched an arrow, trying to call back the sensation of frost on his face. He couldn't.

"Not to rush you or anything, but there is a giant bird made of flames coming closer," Link reminded him after a minute.

"I know…" Kid hummed through gritted teeth, trying and failing to call forth the magic the Queen of Fairies bestowed upon him. He had almost had it, until Link mentioned fire. There wasn't enough time to try again though. The guardian crashed into the ground.

As the floor fell they all struggled to remain upright.

"If I'm recalling what Eldin said correctly, if we run, we'll be okay," Princess Zelda reminded them all. Kid remembered what the spirit had said as well and trusted the princess in her judgment. Lava bubbled up through the grated floor until the metal was submerged in the thick liquid. They were all already running and Kid was surprised upon seeing the lava cool immediately beneath his pounding feet. The hardened rock softened mere seconds after his foot had left it and it soon returned to its original state.

Kid reached for another arrow since he had abandoned the one he had been holding in favor of staying upright on the way down.

"Are you stupid?" Tetra called to him over her shoulder, "There's no use in that now! Even if you could destroy it like last time, the lava might destroy the bottle!" As much as he didn't want to admit it, she was correct. Besides that, he wasn't positive that he could even summon the magic with the lava at his feet. Heat waves drifted off of the lava like smoke and wavered in the air, distorting it. Kid dropped the arrow back into his quiver and concentrated on running. He quickened his pace and tried to step harder when the ground seemed to hesitate to form beneath his feet.

The bird of flames half-heartedly sent a jet of flame their way every now and then, probably hoping that one of them would trip, but they dodged each attack with relevant ease. Kid wracked his brain for ideas. Down here they were completely helpless. They'd tire of running eventually and their exhaustion would kill them.

The bird of flames appeared to be frustrated at their lack of drowning in the lava. Dropping down to the center of the floor, the guardian plunged its feet into the rippling liquid as if it was water. With a sing song screech it beat its powerful wings and the floor slowly began to rise up. None of them stopped running before they were sure all of the lava had dripped off of the floor and back into the pool beneath them. As they caught their breath the guardian delivered the metal floor to its original position, suspended high above the lava.

Seeing this as his chance to do something before the bird decided to make another move against them, Kid quickly loaded his bow with an arrow.

"What's cold?" he asked Tetra hoping his friend could give him some quick inspiration.

Her answer shouldn't have surprised him. "Ice," Tetra smirked at him.

"How about…Zelda's attitude," Link, who had overheard the question, proposed which earned him a cold glare from the princess.

"Snow's cold. So are mountaintops," Princess Zelda suggested after she finished reprimanding Link with her icy blue eyes. This answer granted him the inspiration he needed, and they all watched as the tip of his arrow sprouted a bud of ice.

Kid raised his bow and aimed it at the bird made of fire in the sky who was preparing to launch its own attack at them. He released his ice arrow at the same time that the guardian let out a beam of fire towards their small group. The two attacks met in the middle. His arrow tamed the leaping flames with a single touch and the petrified fire fell to the ground, shattering upon impact.

He was disappointed to see the guardian still ablaze in the sky, but he loaded another arrow as it prepared itself for an encore. The magic didn't need as much prompting as before and in no time, an ice crystal coated the arrowhead. Kid aimed just like last time and pulled back the bowstring as if he was going to release it. The bird let loose its jet of flame and everyone scattered in different directions to get out of the way.

The guardian couldn't recharge quickly enough to breathe another shot of fire before Kid's freezing cold arrow pierced its wings, the petal-like feathers made of flames. The bird was immobilized just like last time and it fell to the ground. Link took this as his cue and smashed the prison of ice with his unique weapon.

As the guardian weakly ruffled its wings, its vibrant color faded. With little warning it lit up in a dramatic explosion of red, orange, yellow and white fire. As most of its ashes became a heap on the floor and others were sacrificed to the lava below, Princess Zelda quickly stepped forward. She was forced to scramble up the side of the mound to reach the peak. When the bottled tear fell on top of the ashes she swiftly scooped it up and threw it with a flick of her wrist to Tetra.

Tetra caught the diamond shaped glass bottle and Princess Zelda hurried away from the guardian's remains, in case they had misjudged and the bird of flames birthed itself from its ashes again. After waiting for a few seconds a circle of blue light appeared near the door which was still sealed shut. Kid took that as proof that they'd won.

As they all headed towards the dark blue puddle Tetra handed the bottle containing Din's Tear to Link who stored it away in one of the many pouches fastened to his belt.

"Not that it matters now," Princess Zelda spoke up, addressing Link, "but could you explain to me how you managed to leave your iron boots at home yet brought along your ball and chain?"

Link laughed sheepishly, "Well, it's sort of a big weapon if you haven't noticed so I find it more convenient to keep it stored in my pouch rather than somewhere in my house."

"Anyway, I'm more interested in your ice arrows. How do you get magic like that? Did someone teach it to you?" Link asked, turning to Kid.

"Teach me?" Kid repeated, trying to buy time to think of an acceptable answer. Fortunately for him they reached their destination just then and he weaseled out of answering by stepping into the light. It whisked him away to the edge of Eldin's Spring.

Once the others joined him Eldin surprised them all by appearing, hovering above the now golden spring.

"Four chosen ones, I bear a warning. I had sensed an unknown power in my province before, but it didn't register to me as a problem at the time. Now it's come to my attention that it is indeed an issue. I sense that something is amiss with one of my brethren. Dwelling here will not bode well for you. You must make haste to the woods of Faron," Eldin notified them before the light faded from the spring and the great spirit along with it.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Tetra wondered, daring to break the silence after a full minute.

"Nothing good," Link said, a serious look taking over his features as he turned around to retrieve the horses from where they'd left them, "Come on." Kid followed him obediently, hoping that the light spirit was mistaken. The more he thought about it though, the more his hope dwindled. They'd been attacked numerous times already. Something was going on; there was no debating the matter.

He climbed onto Epona's back and Link mounted the horse behind him. The girls hurried to mount the princess's horse and in no time they were off. They passed the still spring on the way out but Kid barely gave it a second glance.

"I thought you said that you saved the land from evil before," Tetra called to Link as Princess Zelda's horse ran alongside Epona.

"I did," Link confirmed, "It's not the same evil from before."

"How do you know it's not?" Kid inquired.

"Because, the person that was behind it all is dead," Link replied. Kid wasn't sure he wanted to know who that person had been, so he didn't ask.

"Well, then what is this evil?" Tetra wanted to know.

"I don't know," Link admitted.

The rest of the ride was executed in silence. They had to slow their pace for the benefit of the horses, and when night fell they had no choice but to stop. No matter how urgent the situation, they knew that they'd be useless if they were tired, so they all dismounted and shared a brief meal before laying down to sleep. Much to their surprise and relief the night passed without incident.

In the morning the sun rose as it always had and birds chirped a calming morning song. It rivaled the screeching call of the seagulls and Kid welcomed the pleasant sound, wishing he could hear it more often. Dew sparkled on the gently swaying blades of grass as if the silver stars of dusk had fallen to earth once the dark veil of night broke, scattering themselves among the green of the ground.

After a quick breakfast they mounted their steeds and progressed the rest of the way to the woods. It took about a half hour to reach Faron's Spring. Kid dismounted after Link and the foursome stepped closer to the edge of the water.

Princess Zelda bowed her head to call the spirit, but there was no need. The voice of the light spirit echoed around them, bouncing off the bark of the trees. It was not the greeting nor the wise words that Kid come to expect from the holy spirits. Instead Faron spoke a mere six words. Six ominous words that chilled him to the bone even though he had no idea what they meant.

"Beware…A shadow being…It approaches."


	26. Silence at Twilight

The warning replayed in her head like a catchy tune she couldn't forget no matter how hard she tried. Tensing, her hand unconsciously slipped down to the dagger at her side. She resisted the urge to pull it out of its sheath though. The air was still as it held the words that the spirit of light's disembodied voice had whispered a few seconds prior.

Nothing presented itself. A shadow didn't block out the sun as she'd expected. Light remained and with it, their apprehension. No one dared to move for fear of setting off whatever malevolent force was apparently approaching them.

"What a surprise meeting you here," a sinister voice, dark and cold uttered calmly from somewhere behind them. Whirling around to face the speaker, Tetra was slightly taken aback at his appearance. It was odd to say the least. Baggy black clothing with turquoise runes donned his tall frame. The sleeves of the robe were longer than was necessary, the tassels on each one brushing the ground. A strange metallic mask obscured his face.

"Zant, why aren't you dead?" Link questioned, his left hand on the hilt of his sword, face full of anger trying to cover up confusion.

"I'm the King of Twilight, need you any other explanation?" the being, Zant, scoffed as if there was no other answer, "However, that is not the question you should be asking; don't you wish to know what I want?"

"I already know what you want," Link growled, drawing his sword.

"Is that so? Then enlighten me, hero," Zant mocked him.

"You want to cover this world in twilight. I've got news for you, it's not going to happen," Link announced with certainty.

"Eventually, yes. That is what I wish, but it's not what I seek at the moment," Zant returned. At Link's surprised expression Zant continued, "Give me the girl and I'll take my leave."

"Never," Link narrowed his eyes at the self-proclaimed king, stepping in front of Princess Zelda in an act of defiance.

"I see you still misunderstand me," Zant sighed, "I do not want her. I want the little one." Tetra knew that he was talking about her, but she couldn't fathom the reason why. She'd never seen this guy in her life. He couldn't possibly know about her true heritage, or her Triforce of Wisdom. Even if he did, that wouldn't make her a different prize than Princess Zelda herself, so what did he want her for specifically?

"That's not happening either," Link pushed Tetra behind him, much to her annoyance. This guy didn't seem so tough.

Confident that she could take him, Tetra unsheathed her dagger, raised it, and yelled, "You want a piece of me, you can have it!" Before she could take more than two steps towards Zant she was restricted by Link. "I can take him," she insisted.

"No, you can't," Link pulled her back, so he was in front of her again. She didn't know what made her stay this time. Maybe it was the lack of amusement in Link's eyes that signed to her that he was serious, and she was in over her head, or maybe it was his dangerous tone of voice that held her back. Whatever it was, she stayed behind Link even though she didn't really want to. She could protect herself, she didn't need anyone else doing it for her, but for some reason, Link persisted.

"Resisting are we?" Zant asked rhetorically, seeming confident, "That is rather foolhardy of you but I expected nothing less" He raised his right arm and waved it with a single flourish as if motioning someone to step into plain sight. A small being literally came flying and stopped abruptly beside Zant, hovering in the air.

The newcomer was an imp. She, judging by her feminine body Tetra was positive that she was indeed a female, was suspended in the air, hands behind her back as if she was a prisoner restrained by chains. She was a mix of black and white with turquoise symbols, similar to those on Zant's sleeves, crawling up her arms and legs. Her head was bowed, showing off her fiery orange hair which was held in a high ponytail. She lifted her head as if in a daze. At noticing their small group, her expression turned to one of joy.

"Midna!" Link and Princess Zelda exclaimed in unison, surprise and happiness in both of their voices.

"Link, Zelda…" the imp girl, Midna trailed off seeming lost in thought.

"Let her go now, Zant," Link ordered, his voice hard.

"Give me the girl and I will," Zant bartered.

Link glanced back at Tetra briefly before responding with a defiant, "No."

"I could kill her you know," Zant threatened, rising Midna up in the air as if putting her on display. The imp girl cried out in protest, straining against her invisible bonds to get free.

"You wouldn't, you'd lose your hostage," Link pointed out, seeing through his bluff.

"It appears I'm not being persuasive enough. I need more than one hostage to convince you. How about my Shadow Beasts devour that other child of yours you have with you hmm? His feeble life is insignificant, and I would be doing myself a favor in getting one pest out of the way."

Zant waved his other cloaked arm and Tetra looked to her right where Kid was supposed to be. Instead she found a red see through barrier, strange black and red crystals posing as posts for the fence. Kid looked bewildered, wondering how he had become imprisoned in such a short period of time. He reached out to touch the barrier, but Link stopped him from doing so with a frantic, "Don't!" Kid lowered his hand and turned his attention to the portal made up of black squares with red tainted symbols that materialized in the sky. From it fell three creatures, all large and black, as if they were solid shadows. The creatures wore otherworldly masks over their faces.

While intimidating they didn't deter Kid. He unsheathed his sword and shield, ready to fight.

"You have to kill them at the same time or the remaining one will resurrect the other two," Link advised as everyone's attention turned to the area.

"Don't waste your breath," Zant cut in, clearly underestimating the young boy's power.

They all watched as Kid engaged the three creatures in combat, dealing a decent blow to all of them without being touched once. It was unclear if he had done any damage, but Tetra had seen him strike each monster, so he must have. Distancing himself from the Shadow Beasts, Kid crouched down low as if he was about to execute a spin attack.

The creatures seemed to lose interest when Kid retreated, but that didn't stop him. Light seemed to be absorbed into his blade and after a few seconds it burst into a display of brilliant yellow sparks. The magic covered the entire sword and he waited a few seconds before releasing it with a yell. Kid spun wildly around the arena, easily cutting down his foes in synchronization.

The monsters exploded into black squares which then morphed into a portal in the sky which was riddled with turquoise runes. The barrier disappeared, and Kid slowed down a moment later, dizzily stumbling as he tried and failed to remain upright.

"No! No! That isn't right!" Zant cried out in frustration, stamping his feet like a child having a temper tantrum, "You weren't supposed to be able to best them!"

Tetra's attention returned to the imp girl who had been struggling to get free before. She seemed to be able to wrench free from whatever had been restricting her, and Tetra smirked. In losing his composure Zant had momentarily released his hold on his prisoner.

Midna quickly flew over to them and turned to face Zant arms crossed, a smug expression on her face. Zant momentarily halted his flailing to notice that his victim wasn't next to him like she should be. Upon realizing his mistake he became even angrier and continued his fit, much to the amusement of his spectators. Tetra could safely say she'd never encountered any one quite like him. He seemed controlled at first, but when things didn't go as planned he was laughably immature.

"You're in trouble now. All you had to do was give me the girl, but no. You stubbornly refused. Defying me will not end well for you. We will get her eventually, and then there will be nothing you can do to stop us!" Zant declared twisting and contorting his body in ways that shouldn't have been humanely possible. He disappeared in a flurry of black particles leaving them all unsettled.

For a few seconds no one spoke as if they were debating whether Zant was actually gone or not. Once it was confirmed that he had left they all burst into conversation which became so chaotic that everyone's words jumbled together to the point where no one was making sense to anyone but themselves.

Just when it started to transform into a yelling match Princess Zelda silenced them all by stirring up a gust of wind to knock them all off balance.

"Oi! What was that for?" Tetra exclaimed, jumping to her feet and glaring at the princess in annoyance.

"I only did it because you're all acting like children. We won't make any progress by shouting at each other. See some sense," Princess Zelda explained calmly.

"Ah, Princess Zelda, the ever wise one," Midna mused, righting herself in the air and giving the princess an impish grin.

"Midna, you must know more than all of us, so you should speak first. Start at the beginning, and once you're finished we'll ask you anything you haven't cleared up and go from there," Princess Zelda announced eyeing the imp.

"Wait a minute!" Tetra interjected, addressing Midna, "Kid and I still don't know anything about you. For instance, what are you exactly?"

"You light dwellers really  _are_  ignorant," Midna rolled her eyes, "I could be asking you two the same thing, you know?"

"Midna's a Twili from the Twilight Realm which is a realm connected to this one," Link quickly summarized, then turned to Midna in question "Or at least it  _was_  connected, but the mirror is gone, so how did you and Zant even get here?"

"That was Zant's doing," Midna stated, "Zant could always create portals to travel between the world of light and the world of twilight. It's a lost art that he somehow mastered. It was only ever meant to be used by the ruler of the Twili, but that was a long time ago. Now it's not meant to be used at all. Still, he used it to get us both here. Now, if you'll excuse me I think that the best place to start my explanation would probably be the last time I saw you two," Midna began tapping her chin in thought as she addressed Link and the princess, "Shortly after I shattered the mirror and returned to the world of twilight I learned that Zant had not been killed in the Twilight Realm when we fought him for the final time. He had faked his death using his copy and teleportation magic and managed to escape to another part of the realm. I hunted him down and was faced with the decision to execute him or imprison him.

Taking into account everything he'd done, it should have been quite obvious that I should end his life. However, I was…merciful. Don't ask me why, but I locked him up instead, confiscating his remaining power and sealing it away. I set up an intricate guarding system just in case he somehow managed to get free.

Everything was peaceful until a few days ago when Zant managed to break out of the prison I had placed him in. He didn't do it alone though. He had outside help. Anyway, long story short, Zant and the other guy stormed my palace, and cursed me and my people. Then Zant took me captive and came to the light world. He managed to plunge Ordona Province into perpetual twilight, but he seemed to be doing so only to draw attention, to lure you I imagine."

"Wait, so you're telling me that Ordon is…" Link trailed off.

"Yes, there was nothing I could do to stop him," Midna sighed, "The curse placed on me this time is weaker, but even so, I don't have my full power and when Zant's confident about something he's fairly hard to best."

"What do you mean cursed?" Kid chimed in hesitantly, as if he was unsure if he had the right to speak.

"You honestly think I look like this?" Midna exclaimed in disgust motioning to her body, "I've been reduced to this state by the magic of Zant and whoever he's working with. In reality, I'm quite beautiful. Aren't I, Link?"

"Uh…do I have to answer that?" Link blushed madly.

"What? Are you implying that your answer would be no?" Midna quipped, hands on her hips in a testing manner.

"W-What?! No! Not at all!" Link replied hastily, raising his hands in defense and vigorously shaking his head.

Midna rolled her eyes, "Eee hee hee! Messing with you is still fun!"

"Returning to the matter at hand, Midna, you mentioned a second person that was helping Zant. Who was it?" Princess Zelda interjected.

"Oh right, him," Midna said, her features losing their lightheartedness, "I don't know who he is or where he comes from, but I do know that he's powerful. After all, he broke Zant out like it was nothing and helped him curse me and my people."

"What does he look like?" Link questioned her, his previous embarrassment gone.

"White hair, white clothes, a weird cape…" Midna listed, "In truth, I didn't get more than a few glimpses of him amidst all of the confusion."

"I don't know of anyone that fits that description," Link confided.

"Neither do I," the princess shook her head.

"How about you two, hmm? You seem equally mysterious and I don't even know you're names,"

"The name's Tetra, and that's Kid," Tetra responded, nodding her head in her friend's direction, "And we've never seen anyone like that."

"Kid? What kind of name is that?" Midna wondered.

"It's not my real name. It's a nickname," Kid defended.

"What's your real name then?" Midna tested him.

"Link," Kid replied which caught Midna off guard.

"This just got ten times more interesting," Midna smiled, turning to their older companions she said, "I told you my part of it, so why don't you guys tell me what you're doing and who these kids are?"

"Well, these two, along with three of their friends, are far from home and we're trying to get them back, but apparently it's not very simple because a light spirit gave them a riddle to solve which would help them return home. Right now we're visiting all of the light spirits and trying to collect goddess tears from temples that I never even knew existed," Link summed up.

"That seems like a lot of crap just to get a few kids home. Where are you guys from anyway?" Midna asked, returning her gaze to Tetra and Kid.

"Look, it's not important…" Tetra stated in a matter of fact tone, wishing that the imp would drop it.

Midna persisted, "Yes, it is. If you're lost you should tell people where you're from, so they can take you there."

"Well, we can't do that," Kid said, and Tetra immediately wished that he'd leave the talking to her. She knew that he was no good at lying.

"And why not?" Midna wondered.

"Because the place that we come from is a secret and if other people know about it well…it won't be a secret anymore now will it?" Tetra answered.

"A secret hmm? Once upon a time I kept quite a lot of them, so I guess I can respect that," Midna mused. Just when Tetra thought she was off the hook Midna spoke up again,"but Zant and his mysterious colleague seem to be pretty focused on capturing you. Mind telling us what that's all about?"

"I don't know what those lunatics could possibly want with me," Tetra replied honestly, crossing her arms over her chest.

"You must have something they want. Can you think of anything?" Link added.

Tetra sighed, "No, I honestly don't know. I don't have anything that someone else doesn't."

"Are you sure you don't know the other person?" Princess Zelda checked.

"Positive," Tetra nodded.

"Okay, well what do we do now?" Link wondered after a few seconds of silence.

"It's pretty obvious that we should keep doing what we're doing," Tetra commented.

"It's not that simple," Princess Zelda cut in, "The twilight covering Ordona province can't be ignored."

"You know, now that you mention it, I think I remember Zant letting loose some shadow beasts in the area too," Midna recalled.

"What?! If that's true then we have to go now!" Link exclaimed in shock, "Everyone at Ordon is in danger."

"But what about-" Tetra tried but was interrupted by Link before she could pose her argument.

"That's not as important as this right now. No one's lives are in danger if we don't complete the temple as soon as possible," Link pointed out.

"It'll be nice to actually get under the cover of twilight again," Midna mused, stretching her arms above her head, "This light's bothering me."

"I thought the light couldn't hurt you anymore," Link spoke up.

"It can't, but it's still not comfortable," Midna said, beginning to drift in the direction of Ordon, "Anyway, Link, let's go."

"Wait, what about us?" Tetra wondered.

"Yeah, can't we come with?" Kid asked.

"No, you kiddies are gonna stay here with Zelda," Midna announced her tone mocking.

"Why can't we come with?" Tetra wanted to know, feeling insulted.

"Because it's too dangerous," Link answered her.

"Nothing's too dangerous," Tetra proclaimed, "We can take it." Kid backed her up with a confident nod of his head.

"I can't decide if you two are fearless or just plain stupid," Midna sighed, shaking her head, "Kid, I don't know what sword technique you pulled off earlier, and Tetra I don't know if your attitude is all talk or not, but I do know that you two are no match for the twilight."

"How do you know that if we haven't even set foot in it yet?" Tetra shot back.

"Because, all you light dwellers are the same. It's not possible for you to exist in twilight," Midna stated, matter-of-factly.

"Then why's Link going?" Kid inquired, asking the question before she had a chance to.

"Because I'm special," Link declared.

"Oh…you're special all right," Tetra muttered just loud enough for everyone to hear.

"Hey! I heard that!" Link objected.

"That's the point genius!" Tetra shot back in a haughty tone.

"You two aren't going and that's final," Midna announced for the second time.

"We could follow you," Tetra pointed out.

"You could, but you wouldn't get very far," Midna countered with a smirk on her face, "The only way for light dwellers to enter the twilight from the outside is if a being from the twilight, such as myself, pulls them in, and the only one I'm pulling in is Link."

"Well, how long will this take?" Tetra sighed, coming to the realization that she really had no choice in the matter.

"A half hour," Link responded at the same time that Midna answered with, "At the least an hour and a half."

"Hour and a half? It won't take that long," Link protested.

"You haven't been in the twilight for over a year, Link. Remember how it got easier and easier last time? Well, the longer you're out of it, the harder it becomes," Midna explained as if it was common knowledge. Tetra had no idea what she was talking about. What got easier? What did the twilight do exactly?

"Tell me you're joking," Link requested to which Midna just giggled.

"Aww, what's wrong? Scared?" Midna taunted.

"No, let's go," Link said turning on his heel and strolling in the direction of Ordon with Midna not far behind.

Once the pair were out of earshot Tetra whispered to Kid, "He just doesn't want us to go because he wants to spend time with his girlfriend." Kid snickered and a second later they could all hear Link yelling, "SHE'S NOT MY GIRLFRIEND!"

"How did he hear that?" Kid wondered, startled out of his laughter. Tetra simply shrugged, just as puzzled.

After a minute of silence Princess Zelda spoke up, "We should talk to Faron, so we'll be ready to go into the Silent Realm when Link gets back." They both wordlessly agreed and Princess Zelda turned her attention back to the serene pool of water. A couple seconds later it turned a shimmering gold and the surrounding trees were bathed in light, causing them to shine as if they were made of stars. A sphere of light shot out of the golden liquid and the light spirit followed it, wrapping its body entire body around the pulsing orb.

"Faron, do you have any insight on what just happened here?" Princess Zelda questioned the monkey-like spirit.

"My knowledge of its presence is limited," Faron admitted, "Ignoring it seems to be the wisest option for the time being. Continue on with your quest, I believe it will lead you to an answer eventually."

"But you can't just ignore things like this!" Tetra objected, "They're obviously going to be chasing us from this point on."

"While that is most likely true, it cannot be helped. Avoid them when you can, fight and escape as quickly as possible when you can't. Whatever you do, don't get captured," Faron advised. Tetra glowered. That didn't help them all that much. He was practically telling them to run away. She didn't like running away. It was a cowardly action and one that she, as a pirate, had practically pledged to never execute.

"I see…" Princess Zelda trailed off in thought before changing the subject slightly, "Will you allow us access to the Silent Realm?"

"Yes, but I cannot send you in until all of the four chosen are present," Faron answered. They all nodded in comprehension and the familiar circular blossom of blue materialized on the shore of the spring. "Step into it when you're ready and I shall place you all into the trial," Faron instructed the trio before fading away with the golden glow of the spring.

With nothing left to do they all found a comfortable spot on the ground to wait. Patience was a virtue and it was something that Tetra did not possess. Distracting herself was unsuccessful since she had nothing but her own jumbled thoughts to assess. Facts mixed with assumptions and suspicions created a war in her mind which began to call forth the migraine from yesterday.

The prophetic dream bothered her even more after learning that there really was someone after her. The person in the dream had not been Zant, she was almost positive. He had moved calmly, danced hand in hand with the shadows, moved faster than her mind could comprehend. Maybe that guy had been the one working with Zant.

Even if it had been Zant's colleague, the fact didn't help much. She still didn't know their goal or why they wanted her in particular. She only had two precious things which were the Triforce of Wisdom and her life. No one in Hyrule could possibly know she had the Triforce of Wisdom, and even if they did, if that was what they wanted then the Princess of Hyrule would have been their target. Tetra concluded that they must want to take her life, but what they would accomplish by doing so was not clear to her.

Part of her wished that she could talk to someone about it, but there was no one to talk to. Princess Zelda, the one that would probably be able to help her the most, was out of the question because she might connect the few dots between the prophetic dreams, and the Triforce of Wisdom which would ultimately lead her to the conclusion that Tetra technically shared the same name as her. She didn't like talking to Link on a regular basis so coming to him about such an issue would never happen. Kid knew a little about her prophetic dreams since she'd told him about them before, but there were a few problems with that. Tetra didn't want to admit the fact that she thought that he had died in the dream and risk scaring him to death. There was also the fact that there was nowhere for them to safely talk without taking the risk of someone, namely Link who displayed acute hearing abilities, overhearing their conversation.

Suddenly she reprimanded herself. What was she thinking? She hadn't needed anyone before, and she certainly didn't need anyone now. She could handle it on her own just like she always had. As the minutes ticked by Tetra felt herself drifting off. Sleep hadn't come easy to her last night. Her dream combined with the mental ordeal from the previous temple made sure of that. She could still picture her mother when she closed her eyes and while the scene should have been comforting, it was the exact opposite.

Besides that, the prophetic dreams drained her without her consent. The only reason why she hadn't collapsed during all the battling in the temple yesterday was because her life was at stake and she was unbelievably stubborn. Tetra was sure that her fleeting sleep the previous night had only lasted a few hours before she couldn't fall asleep despite her fatigue.

Now that the sun was shining it was a different story. Falling asleep wouldn't be a problem now.  _'A nap can't hurt,'_  Tetra thought to herself,  _'After all, it will probably take Link and Midna a while to get back.'_ As soon as she had the thought she opened her eyes which had closed while she was toying with the prospect of catching up on her sleep. She couldn't fall asleep. They'd be back soon. It'd already been at least a half hour. Tetra forced herself to stay awake. She lasted for another hour before surrendering.

She didn't know how long it had really been before Kid was shaking her awake. All she knew was that it felt like seconds. Tetra reluctantly opened her eyes, and her ears took in the complaints of Link while Midna argued with him how it was his own fault. Tetra had no idea what they were talking about but didn't try to process it, wary of her pounding head.

She quickly got to her feet, grabbing Kid's wrist when her vision swam.

"Are you okay, Tetra?" Kid asked her noticing her lack of stability.

"I'm fine," Tetra responded, despite knowing it was a lie. She wasn't fine. She was tired, and her head ached. There was no way she would admit any of that though. She released him and crossed her arms in her usual bossy manner hoping the familiar gesture would help her feel better.

"What took so long?" Tetra called to her companions who were near the other side of the spring.

"It was Link's fault," Midna loudly accused, gesturing to him as she said it.

"It was not!" Link argued, "I couldn't help it! Besides, even after we banished the twilight I needed to check on everyone in Ordon."

"Is everyone okay?" Kid wondered.

"They're fine, just confused and a little shaken up," Link answered him.

"Can we do the trial now?" Tetra asked, eager to get it over with.

"What trial?" Midna inquired, "I thought you guys were doing temples."

"We are, but we need to go through trials to gain access to the temples," Princess Zelda explained.

"Well, have fun with that," Midna said, pretending to yawn as if she was bored, "I'll be here."

"You don't think Zant will come back while we're gone, do you?" Link asked her.

"No," Midna shook her head, "He most likely went back to report to whoever he's working with that he failed. Hopefully, we won't see him again for a while. Even if he does come back, I won't let him capture me. The only reason why he succeeded last time was because I was caught off guard. This time I'll be ready."

"Still, be careful," Link warned her, "Zant's unpredictable."

"Like I don't know that Link," Midna scoffed rolling her eyes, "Don't worry about me. I'll be fine. Just get your stupid trial done quickly. I feel that we're pressed for time."

"I do too," Princess Zelda admitted, "Which is why we need to complete this trial as quickly as possible."

"What are you waiting for then? Get over here," Tetra ordered. She was already standing in the circle with Kid, tapping her foot impatiently.

"You've got some guts talking to the Princess of Hyrule like that. Eee hee!" Midna giggled, "This adventure should be interesting." Tetra didn't respond to that. She wasn't sure how she felt about Midna yet. From what she gathered, it sounded like Midna herself was a princess or possibly a queen of her realm. As she thought about it, the little facts she had gathered about the Twili being were similar to herself in many ways. Sure, there were major differences but the one thing that she knew she liked about Midna was that she had nothing to do with Hyrule.

Link and the princess joined them in the trial gate and just like before a lightheaded feeling assailed them. Tetra sunk to the ground, willing it to leave before she passed out. She didn't feel well enough as it was. A dizzy spell was not helping matters. Fortunately the feeling passed in time and Tetra opened her eyes.

Her surroundings were bathed in blue. It was almost as if they were underwater. Tetra stood up with her companions. Their spirit vessels were presented to them and they took in their surroundings. A guardian was positioned behind a tree, probably meant to be obscured, but the lack of foliage made it a poor hiding place. A tear was on the other side of the rough path.

It didn't seem like a long way, but Tetra felt tired already. The trial hadn't cleansed her of her symptoms. If anything it made them worse. She refused to give in though. She'd go through the trial and temple like everyone else today, and then try to actually sleep tonight.

Before she knew it the world around her came to life, and she had no choice but to run forward to avoid guardians towering over her like buildings. Princess Zelda was the first to reach the tear and their surroundings became frozen in time for another sixty seconds. They continued on, opting to leave the sacred tears closer to the spring for last in order to lower their chances of getting caught.

As the foursome progressed through the trial they deftly avoided the ever present dangers, Watchers and Waking Water, while trying to get accustomed to the distorted version of Faron Woods. It seemed to Tetra that there were more guardians this time, but she could have been mistaken. Gathering the tears was an easy task until they got down to the last few.

Their time of peace and tranquility was nearing its imminent end. They had mere seconds to reach the last tear before they were supposed to head back towards the spring to collect the tears they had wisely neglected in the beginning. The tear itself was in sight, affixed upon a pedestal guarded by twin Watchers. Tetra had volunteered to retrieve it because she had wanted to prove to herself that she was up to the task. After all, if she couldn't do this, then how was she supposed to survive the rest of the day?

Sneaking past the Watcher's white-lantern gaze had been fairly easy, as well as scaling the small display. After she successfully captured the tear in her spirit vessel and bought them more time she instantly wasted it with a single movement. The fact that the Watchers could detect sound momentarily slipped her mind, and she made the mistake of moving into a better escaping position as one of the Watchers drew closer.

Its light wouldn't have brushed the bottom of her perch if she had stayed still, but she hadn't and her small action caused noise which attracted the investigative attention of the strange being. Upon noticing her mistake Tetra tried to back up so it wouldn't catch her in its pool of light. This only created more noise, and she nearly fell backwards off of the pedestal. She caught herself but remembered too late that if she fell it would actually be a good thing since nothing could hurt her here except for the guardians.

The Watcher directed its spotlight onto her and rang its lantern like a bell, signaling the guardians to wake up. The background of blue was replaced with crimson and Tetra was startled when she heard the clanking of a guardian behind her. Either she was hearing things or she hadn't noticed one there before. She chose to believe the latter and instinctively leaped forward off of the log.

It was a smart move on her part, as she felt the wind from the force put behind the guardian's attack a hair breath's away from her neck. All fatigue was suddenly pushed to the back of her mind as adrenaline filled her and she ran towards her companions who were occupied dodging the attacks of other guardians while trying to make their way back towards the spring. The problem was that the spring was on the very other side of the woods. It would be a long run back and with goddesses knows how many guardians pursuing them it would not be the least bit safe.

It was funny how she'd always imagined forests as calm places of nature's tranquility protected by a cage of trees so ancient that none could surpass them if they tried. Tetra was finding that this wasn't exactly true as she ran through the secluded wood pursued by enemies that she could not defy with a weapon.

Everyone else had bolted ahead of her when the realm had become encased in a bubble of red chaos in an attempt to reach the next tear quicker to silence the realm. Tetra concentrated on dodging all of the guardians intent on extinguishing her minuscule spark of existence. She rolled out of the way of two dual blades and leaped to her feet, stumbling a bit as she did so but managing to stay upright and move forward.

After what seemed like hours of evading strikes from both land and airborne sentries one of her companions drew close enough to a tear to touch it. Eerie crystal blue light covered their surroundings as if they had suddenly become encased inside a raindrop frozen in time. Tetra slowed her pace, letting the beating of her heart level out to a steady rhythm as she caught her breath. Ahead of her the others stopped to wait. She caught up in little time and they continued down the path, jumping over puddles of Waking Water that turned the path into a shallow river with small pieces of dry land posing as stepping stones.

The next sacred tear was chased into her almost full spirit vessel and the soft petals of the white flower were renewed with life that started to waste away a second later. The remaining tears were easily collected and they carefully made their way to the trial gate at the shore of the spring. The flowers topping their spirit vessels were now a pure white showing no sign of wilting, but Tetra knew not to be tricked by this welcome sight. The flowers could still die. All it took was one slip up and the red light would instantly poison and kill the delicate blossom.

There was no need to be concerned though. The circular trial gate of permanent safety was close. As Tetra stepped into it she reflected on how well the trial had gone. They'd only slipped up a total of two times. The rest of the trial had been a favorable breeze at their backs. The spirit vessels floated out of their owner's hands and momentarily lingered in the air as white buds which exploded into numerous petals that showered the foursome like falling leaves.

A new item gently floated down to rest in her palms and Tetra instantly recognized it as a compass. However, the more she stared at it the more she began to doubt herself. The needle, which was at the moment spinning clockwise in the middle of the object was protected by a glass face but the circle behind the glass bore no indication of directions so Tetra had no way to tell if she was holding it upside down or not. The sphere of glass was encompassed by a larger circle with four shallow holes on the top, bottom, left and right which, if connected by two invisible lines, would form a cross. The last thing she had time to notice was that the outer circle was separated evenly into four sections that all showed off a unique symbol.

The familiar lightheaded sensation interrupted her inspection of the new gift. When Tetra opened her eyes, her vision drank in the golden light of the spring. Faron had returned to inform them about the items they had been rewarded for completing the Silent Realm.

"The objects you now possess are gifts from the goddess to aid you in your quest. Its most common name is the Compass of Clover. As you may or may not have noticed by now, they are not ordinary compasses since they are not used to navigate in the normal sense. Instead they are equipped with the power to point the holder in the direction of another compass. There are four panels with symbols on each compass and four compasses. Similarly, each compass has one of those symbols engraved on the bottom," Faron explained. At this, Tetra flipped the dark blue compass over so she could view the bottom. Just as Faron had said a symbol was engraved there. She ran her fingers over the two wavy lines indented into the otherwise immaculately smooth surface. They gave her the distinct impression of waves. She compared hers with the others. Kid's compass was silver with a swirling line meant to resemble wind decorating the bottom. Link's was a glossy black with a crescent moon carved into the underside of the compass. Princess Zelda held a golden compass with a fancy symbol meant to represent the sun etched into the bottom.

"At the moment none of the compasses have a set course so their needles are spinning. You can only set a course for one compass at a time. To set the compass to find another simply turn the outer ring and click one of the panels into place at the top of the compass," Faron continued.

"How do we know where the top is?" Tetra wondered.

"There's a small arrow engraved on one of the sides," Faron supplied. Everyone turned their compass over in their hands, searching for the arrow. Tetra found it easily and turned back to Faron for any other information he had to offer them before they parted ways.

"Once the course is set the needle of the compass will point in the direction of the destination. All you must do then is follow it. If you don't wish to be found for whatever reason, turn the dial so the arrow points at the panel containing the symbol on the bottom of your compass. Doing so renders the compass in a state of limbo until the arrow points at another hole or panel. This means that it cannot be tracked by the other compasses. If it is already being tracked, the compass tracking it will automatically cease to function. That is all the information I have on the abilities of the gifts.

The temple is accessible at the back of my spring, beyond the waterfalls. When you feel well prepared to face the dangers that lurk inside, enter the Temple of Farore, goddess of courage, wind, life, and nature. Good fortune to you, young ones," Faron announced. After his speech was complete he faded along with the golden light of his spring.

With his absence Midna reappeared out of nowhere.

"What kind of trial was that? I didn't even see you guys move. You just sat on the ground with your eyes closed in that circle for five minutes," Midna commented. Five minutes? Surely they'd been in there longer. Tetra began to wonder how time flowed in the Silent Realms. Still, she wasn't that shocked to hear the news. After all, her encounter with the Ghost Ship had been much more than the mere ten minutes it was rumored to be.

"That's the thing about the trials," Link sighed, "We have to do it in spirit form."

"How does that work? Do you fly?" Midna wondered, showing off her flying ability as if to demonstrate.

"I wish," Kid muttered.

"No, we run for our lives," Tetra replied as she stashed the compass away in her wallet where she kept all of her valuables, aside from the Triforce of Wisdom of course. That she kept around her neck, carefully concealed under the red cloth of her bandana.

"I'd hate to be you then," Midna said, showing no signs of remorse for her lack of sympathy towards them and the challenges they were forced to face, "If the temple's open now then let's go." Tetra doubted that Midna would be allowed in the temple since it was apparently an exclusive club that only the chosen could gain access to according to the light spirits. She chose to not say anything though since no one else did. Maybe they were hoping she'd be allowed to come along anyway.

As they started forward Midna seemed to sink into Link's shadow and Tetra could no longer see her. Kid had noticed it too.

"Where did Midna go?" Kid asked, hoping someone else could tell him.

Midna herself answered him, although they couldn't pinpoint the exact location of her voice, "I'm a being of the shadow, so I can blend in with them. Simple enough for you?"

"Uh, sure," Kid nodded, seeming to wonder if she was mocking him or not.

They scaled the small waterfalls, managing to stay dry because of their Water Dragon Scale necklaces. Tetra couldn't stop herself from wondering if Midna was getting wet during all the climbing while she was hiding in Link's shadow. Could shadows even get wet or feel for that matter? Her thoughts quickly turned back to her fatigue which was slowly returning.

At the very back of the spring a narrow waterfall trickled down in between the bark of two thick trees, posing as walls. Tetra could see through it though. The thin stream of water was obscuring a small cave, the entry way to the temple she assumed. They began to file through but Midna's cry of alarm stopped them in their tracks. Tetra had been behind Link so she had watched as Midna was thrown out of his shadow and into the open, away from the mouth of the cave.

"Huh, it won't let me through," Midna frowned, crossing her arms and staring at the entrance as if thinking of ways of coercing it to let her pass.

"I thought this might happen," Princess Zelda admitted, "Midna, you'll have to wait for us again."

"Ooh, fun!" Midna exclaimed feigning excitement but Tetra could tell she was disappointed. She couldn't imagine why though. Going through temples weren't her idea of fun unless there was treasure at the end. Sure, goddess tears were probably a valuable treasure, but she didn't really even know what they were supposed to be using them for in the first place.

Tetra entered next and the princess followed her inside. The interior was pretty dark at first but after walking for a while the corridor opened up into a large semi-circular room that appeared to wrap around almost completely on both sides, forming the room into more of a crescent shape than a half circular one. It was impossible to know for sure how far it went without investigating. The strange thing was that there was no door in front of them. Somehow dim rays of sunlight battled their way through the thick canopy of leaves and twisting vines that served as the roof and illuminated the oddly shaped room. In the middle of the floor was the mark of Farore. It didn't look much different from the one she knew but she didn't know if that was a good thing or not.

Their crude map was not entirely reliable as it did not mark the location of doors or anything else for that matter.

"This sign says we have to each stand on a tile. There should be four placed somewhere in the room," Link announced and Tetra lifted her head to see where he was. He was standing farther into the room, examining the wall which was made up of what appeared to be mix of bark, dirt, and stone. A particular stone stood out from the rest though and from the distance she was at she could barely tell that there was an inscription written there.

She looked around for a tile on the grassy floor. She found one not too far from the right of Farore's symbol. By some miracle the grass was not overgrown and unruly and the dark green and white tile stood out against the healthy bright green of the grass. She stepped onto it and waited for her companions to find one. Kid had found a tile to stand on to the left of Farore's symbol while Princess Zelda and Link were forced to walk farther into the room on either side. Link appeared to find one to Tetra's right. From where she was standing she could not see Princess Zelda.

Tetra sighed, wishing that the princess would hurry up and find the last tile. She wasn't sure what they were doing this for exactly, but she presumed that it would make a door magically appear. Temples had a weird way of functioning that she learned long ago not to question. In a way, it did open a door, but not in the way that Tetra had been expecting.

Without warning the tiles simultaneously dropped out from under them and they all fell. Tetra didn't even think to scream or be afraid. She simply tried to slow her descent, but it didn't exactly work. Tetra didn't fall for long. She felt herself caught by the ground, but it wasn't level. Instead it was a steep slope that she was forced to slide down. The farther she went the darker it became. Foliage slapped her arms, legs, and face as she slid down the tunnel whose turns came quite unexpectedly. She could feel the pinprick of sticks or thorns as they raked their grasping claws across her exposed flesh. By the time the tunnel spit her out she was sure that she had too many scrapes and bruises to count. She was also pretty sure she'd gone through a spider web on the way down too which unnerved her. She detested spiders. They didn't even have to be big. Small ones were just as terrifying.

Tetra sat there for a moment before coming to a sudden realization that caused her heart to skip a beat. The darkness pressed in on either side of her like large shadowy hands holding her in place. The space was devoid of all sound aside from the pounding of her heart in her ears. She could sense that there were walls to either side of her, wide enough to give her some personal space but close enough to give her the impression of being trapped. The claustrophobic space and the prospect of unknown enemies lurking in the inky blackness was not what caused fear to course through her. It was something far worse than any physical obstacle or foe. It was the fact that she was by herself that scared her. She was alone. Completely alone…


	27. The Temple of Farore

Link's enhanced vision cut through the oil spill of darkness before him. While he couldn't see much he could see enough to navigate. He was reluctant to enlist the help of his lantern since he did not want to waste its supply of oil in case it was needed later. A long underground passage stretched out before him and he sighed. He should have seen it coming. The gifts they received from the trials always played some key role in the temples.

Taking out the compass from where he had stashed it, Link brought the object close to his face so he could see it better. The needle was still spinning mindlessly. He bit his lip in thought, wondering who to search for first. After much debate he chose to look for Tetra since she'd been on the tile closest to him when they fell so she would probably be the closest to him now.

He turned the outer ring of the compass by using two of the shallow holes and twisting it to the right until the panel with the two wavy lines clicked into place at the top. The needle slowed its dizzying revolution. It stopped to point to his left in a wavering line, as if it wasn't entirely sure about its decision. Link had been hoping that it'd give him a route to go by, but as he followed it's accusing gaze with his own eyes it directed him to a wall.

Deciding to turn as soon as the opportunity arose, Link continued down the long corridor with the compass clutched in his right hand. As he walked on he couldn't help noticing that the underground hallway seemed to stretch on forever. Of course, the darkness made everything look like that so it couldn't be true. He kept his eyes on the left hand wall, expecting it to open up or change at some point.

Suddenly the toe of his boot caught on something and he fell. The compass skidded out of reach and Link could just barely see it now with his limited vision. He looked back to see what had cause him to trip. The culprit was a long gnarled branch that stretched across the width of the passage. Dying leaves clung to it as if they still harbored some ray of hope of blooming again.

A faint grinding sound met his ears. Link got to his feet and retrieved his compass, listening with curiosity as the sound became louder. He looked ahead but couldn't see anything. Squinting into the darkness, Link took a couple experimental steps forward. After a few seconds it became clear what was making the noise. He didn't know what it was really. It appeared to be some sort of metal contraption with a lot of spikes. Whatever it was, he didn't really care. It was coming straight for him and he didn't need to know what it was to know that it could kill him.

Link turned around and ran back the way he had come, taking care to hurdle the branch that had tripped him before. Glancing at the compass again he noticed that it pointed forward which was strange. Wouldn't it still be pointing left? Or behind him by now? Unless Tetra hadn't moved. That was a possibility, especially if it was dark where she was too. Link chose to ignore it and concentrated on running.

All too soon he was stopped by the end of the hallway. Link turned around to judge the distance between himself and his untimely demise. He had fifteen seconds at best before the thing crushed him. He checked the compass again wishing it could see him to salvation. Instantly he became puzzled. The needle now pointed to his left just like in the beginning.

"I wonder…" Link trailed off stepping towards the wall. He reached out his left hand and placed it on the hard packed soil, or tried to anyway. His hand passed right through as if there was nothing there. It had been an illusion all along!

Link wasted no time in running through it to the other side. He made it just in time for a second later the rolling death trap crashed into the very solid wall at the end of the corridor and dislodged dirt from the ceiling. Link coughed and waved his hand in front of his face to fan away the dust cloud that was kicked up. When it cleared Link had a better view of the new room.

Compared to the last area this one was well lit with the natural light of pastel colored mushrooms. From the ground sprouted green grass which glowed with a blue tint in the strange light. The passage stretched out ahead and to the right of him. Link enlisted the aid of the compass in his hand to choose his path. The needle pointed straight ahead so he followed it. At least he was getting somewhere now.

He allowed the compass to direct him as he progressed through the maze-like halls. Eventually his ears picked up Tetra's voice. He was too far away to make out what she was saying, but as he continued walking the sound became clearer. It sounded like she was giving directions to someone which didn't make sense. Why would she be giving anyone directions? Had she found a map? If she did then who was she talking to? Herself?

Link's questions were soon answered when he turned the corner. At the very end of the hall he could see Tetra. She appeared to be behind some metal bars with vines crawling up them. Despite this, he wasn't entirely sure it was a cage, so much as a barrier.

"Hey, Tetra!" he called to her as he started to run to get to the end of the hall faster. She turned around, looking a bit startled to see him.

"Link?" Tetra wondered, keeping one hand behind her back, "How did you find me?"

"With this," Link replied, holding up the compass for inspection as he came closer to the bars separating them, "And who were you talking to?"

"Kid," Tetra answered after a hesitation so brief that Link barely noticed it.

"Is he over there too?" Link asked.

"Not physically, no," Tetra shook her head.

"What the heck's that supposed to mean?" Link questioned her.

Tetra sighed and rolled her eyes as if he was a little kid pestering her about something insignificant. She moved her arm so he could see what she held in her hand. A glowing blue stone hovered just above her open palm. "Kid has a stone identical to this one. I gave it to him a long time ago, and through these stones we can communicate. I can see everything he's doing as well as scope ahead for him. He, on the other hand, can only hear my voice."

"Okay, wait. If you had these stones then why didn't you use them before when you guys got separated?" Link wanted to know.

"Because they have to be in a certain range to connect to each other, moron," Tetra huffed.

"Is that Link with you?" Kid's voice asked suddenly. His voice echoed slightly like he was in a cave.

"Nice of you to join the conversation," Tetra rolled her eyes at the stone.

"Not like you were trying to include me in it," Kid muttered, and then louder, "Anyway, which way do I turn this time? Right or left?"

"Left," Tetra replied in a bored tone.

"So are you stuck there or what Tetra?" Link wondered.

"Hmmm? Me? I'm not stuck. This path continues, see?" she gestured behind her to prove her point. "I just stopped here, so I could guide Kid without putting myself in danger. There's a lot of traps set up around this place. Navigating through them is a pain."

"Hey, Tetra, are you sure it was left?" Kid asked, sounding nervous.

"Of course I'm s- wait no! Turn back!" Tetra gasped, focusing her attention on the glowing stone in her hand, "I made a mistake! I meant to say right!" Several loud thuds emitted from the stone and Link became worried. What the heck could that mean?

"Oh no…" Kid trailed off.

"What-" Link was cut off by a shriek before he could finish the sentence. He only knew one thing that made that noise. Redeads. Just hearing the scream immobilized him. After a few seconds he could move again and so could Tetra, though she was shaking, probably scared for Kid and to tell the truth he was too. Redeads were terrifying and fighting them was a challenge.

Tetra's gaze was intent on the stone, watching a battle only she could see. He didn't know how she could see anything though. The little stone looked misty inside when he peered at it. Nothing that could be described as a picture manifested in its sapphire depths.

"Crap it grabbed him!" Tetra reported, gritting her teeth.

"What?!" Link exclaimed in disbelief. Now he really wished that he could see what was going on. All the redeads he'd ever fought had carried a weapon. They had never wasted the effort of grabbing him when they could just conveniently cleave him in two. Another undead scream hit their ears and caused them both to freeze. Link couldn't even begin to imagine what it sounded like to Kid who was right in front of them.

After what felt like forever the sounds of battle faded into heavy breathing.

"Are you okay?" Link asked, hoping that Kid could hear him too.

Before Kid could even reply Tetra answered for him, "No, he's not okay. He's bleeding."

"I'm fine," Kid protested.

How bad is it?" Link asked whoever would answer him.

"It's not that bad," Kid said and Link looked to Tetra as if to ask if Kid's words were true or if he was lying.

"For him that means it's a moderate injury," Tetra translated.

Link sighed, wishing that he could do something to help, "Okay, can you walk?"

"Yes, I can move around. Don't worry, I'm okay," Kid insisted although Link felt that he was just saying it to ease his mind. This wasn't good. They were separated. Kid was hurt, and the only one carrying medical supplies was Zelda. That was a poor choice on their part. They should have all at least equipped themselves with a red potion just in case something like this happened. However, they hadn't the insight to do so and now they were paying for it. Link blamed himself for not thinking of it earlier. He was really failing at his job as protector lately.

"Turn back the way you came. The other path should be clear, but stop at where the two hallways meet so I can make sure," Tetra instructed Kid who gave an "Okay" to let her know that he heard. Then Tetra turned her attention to Link. "I have a suspicion that these tunnels we're in never connect. Why else would there be bars here if you can't take them down? My guess is that the areas we're all in eventually open up into the same room. We each need to find our own way out though. You said the compass showed you the way to me. If it created a path for you to follow, then if one of us gets out there will be a path for all of us to follow to escape, no matter where we are. If I can get Kid out, then we can find our way out. What do you think?"

"I think it's a good idea, but how are you planning on getting Kid out?" Link wondered.

"Well, I've figured out that you're presented with choices. Choose right, and you get to progress, but choose wrong and you have to face something you're scared of. The further you get, the more intense the fear so, all I have to do is help him pick the right path. It's pretty easy if I scout ahead, though sometimes it's hard to tell," Tetra explained, returning her attention to the stone and peering into it like before when Kid affirmed that he was at the decided location.

"Yup, it's clear," Tetra affirmed with a nod after a full minute of scrutinizing it.

"How do you know it'll stay clear for us when we follow the compasses?" Link questioned her.

"Did you run into any trouble?" Tetra countered with her own question.

"Surprisingly, no," Link responded. The compass' directions had actually spared his life.

"Well then there you go," Tetra stated, "We'll be fine because the compasses plan out a safe route for us." Link wasn't so sure about that. It could have been just luck that he hadn't run into anything hostile. Still, he chose not to say anything.

"Which way?" Kid asked.

"Hold on a second. Stay where you are," Tetra told him, searching the glowing charm's depths for a safe route. Finally she seemed to find one, "Okay, I know the safe path, but there's a trap set in place."

"Well, how do I not set it off?" Kid wondered.

"That's what I'm trying to figure out…" Tetra trailed off.

"Aren't the safe places supposed to not have traps?" Link inquired.

"Shush. I'm trying to concentrate," Tetra ordered him. After another minute of contemplation Tetra spoke up again, "Kid, there's no way to not activate it, but I think I know a place where you can stand that'll be safe."

"Where do I stand?" Kid wanted to know.

"The correct path is straight ahead. The trap will activate as soon as you step into that hallway so once you do, make sure you're close to the right hand wall. Retreat to that corner and you should be fine."

"You better be right," Kid sighed.

"We can hope," Tetra returned.

"Tetra! Are you sure or not?" Kid exclaimed, obviously not wanting to put his life at risk for nothing.

"Of course I'm not sure. There's no way to be one hundred percent sure that you'll avoid it completely," Tetra explained, "Keep your shield ready just in case."

"Thanks, that's comforting," Kid muttered. Link assumed that he then moved to follow Tetra's instructions. A lot of banging could be heard and then, silence.

"Good it worked. Now hurry before the traps reset themselves!" Tetra demanded. After another half hour of Tetra ordering Kid around, Kid reported that a door was in front of him.

"Is it the end Tetra?" Kid asked.

"Looks like it," Tetra nodded, "I'm going now. See ya." With that the stone dropped into her hand, completely lifeless. "Now we can set our compasses to track Kid's and we'll be out," Tetra announced.

"Okay but be careful," Link said, a bit reluctant to lose sight of her with all of the traps that Kid had run into.

"Yeah, I'll be careful," Tetra rolled her eyes as she put away the blue stone and retrieved her compass. She twisted the outer ring so the panel containing the swirling wind symbol was at the top. Then with a final wave she turned and left.

Link reset his compass to search for Kid's. He began to follow it. After ten minutes it had led him into a hallway that was slightly different than the others. Instead of grass the floor was littered with dirt and broken tiles. Some were whole, while others were barely half of what they used to be.

Skeptical of the sight, Link chose to tread carefully. There was most likely a trap lying in wait. As he stepped over the shattered tiles he kept an eye out for anything suspicious. When he got about halfway to the other side he stepped on a tile that happened to be intact. This set off mayhem. Every tile that wasn't broken magically picked itself off the ground and launched at Link. He dodged the first few but was forced to use his shield to block the rest. Some of the possessed tiles aimed for his legs but Link saw this coming and deftly jumped out of the way, letting the tiles smash themselves against the wall behind him.

As Link progressed he continuously found himself running into traps. He was finding that Tetra had been right. The traps were quite meddlesome even though it was fairly easy to avoid most of them. Finally he turned a corner and found a door. The door was a square slab of earth colored stone with vines clinging to it. When Link was close enough he brushed off the vegetation and lifted up the door. He walked through before it came crashing down behind him.

The new room confused him a little. A wall of stone stood proudly to his left while the rest of the room curved to his right, forming barely half of a crescent. Various sizes and colors of mushrooms dangled from the ceiling like nature-made chandeliers, providing the area with its only light. He noticed the polished floor that held a strange jade green and gray foundation, appeared to drop off, aiding the less impressive walls in creating the curve of the room. He could see that there was another section of floor beyond the blackness of what he supposed was a chasm. Link walked around to the other side of the room where a log stretched across the wide expanse of nothingness that separated the two pieces of solid ground from each other.

Placing a hesitant foot on the unstable looking log, Link winced as it groaned under the small amount of weight he forced on it. The log was flimsy to say the least, and using it as a bridge probably wasn't the wisest choice, but it was the only thing he had to work with. Link stepped fully onto the make-shift bridge, and it protested a little but didn't give. He hoped it was stronger than it looked for his sake. Precariously balancing on the thin log, Link took a small step forward, praying that the dead tree would sustain his weight. Either his prayers were heard or he was just extremely lucky. Whatever the case, Link managed to make it to the other side without the log collapsing.

Once he was on solid ground again he took in his new surroundings. The section he was trapped on now was narrower than the last. Another break separated an even smaller crescent shaped perch from where he stood. A small sign stood on the small crescent shaped floor, but it was too minuscule to make out any letters, let alone words. This time there was no insubstantial branch to serve as an adequate bridge, so he truly had no way to cross to view the sign. It was a shame since it was probably important. Forced to put his curiosity at the back of his mind, Link walked along the floor he was provided with, noting how the traction was poor as he frequently slid across the smooth, slick surface.

He eventually made it to where the wall of stone had separated him from the rest of the floor in the beginning. A door identical to the one he had come through was on the other side. Another stone wall caused the section to resemble a cube. He could see Tetra leaning against one of the stone walls on the other side and he called her name to get her attention.

"How did you get over there?!" Tetra shouted back to him.

"There was a log that stretched across the gap. I just balanced on it and walked across," Link replied.

"That's nice. How do Kid and I get across then?" Tetra challenged him, hands on hips in her usual bossy manner.

"Where is Kid?" Link inquired. Tetra pointed to her left which, from his angle, was right. Link shifted his position, so he could see past the other stone barrier. This section was identical to Tetra's, but Kid was waiting there instead. From the distance they were at he couldn't make out details, but he thought he saw a spot of red on Kid's tunic.

"Hey, Link, do you think you could move that log you used over here?" Kid asked, raising his voice to be heard.

"Don't know, but I'll try. Hang on," Link answered him, sheepishly noting in his head how he hadn't even thought of trying to reposition the log. He made his way to where he had first stepped onto the second section of floor and bent down to examine the unstable thing. He tried to pick it up, but it seemed to be stuck. Link kicked it, hoping to dislodge it from its spot on the floor. However, his abuse did nothing to faze it, and it stayed stubbornly where it was. After numerous attempts to lift it or get it to budge at all, Link finally stopped trying, realizing that the log was held there by some type of magic force so moving it was a fool's dream.

He returned to where Kid and Tetra could both see him empty-handed.

"I'm taking that it didn't work?" Tetra wondered.

"No, Tetra, it did work. It's just invisible," Link said sarcastically.

"Invisible…hey! That's a good idea!" Kid exclaimed suddenly.

"I was being sarcastic," Link reminded him.

"I know, but I'm talking about a different way across," Kid responded, appearing to study the compass he held in his hand.

"And what would that be?" Link inquired, curious as to what Kid was getting at.

"Well, I have my compass set to find yours and it seems to have directions for me, meaning there is a path, but we just can't see it," Kid explained.

"Oh yeah! I see what you mean," Tetra nodded from the other side, inspecting her own compass.

"So you're implying that there's an invisible path of some sort stretching across the gap? I'd rather you test that theory first," Link said, eyeing the abyss that separated them. He estimated it to be about twenty feet, maybe a little more.

"I'll test it," Tetra volunteered, stepping closer to the edge. She kept a close eye on her compass, and after seeming to double and triple check it she hesitantly hovered her foot over the blackness as if she was about to step off. She brought her foot down and Link held his breath hoping that Kid's theory was true.

As soon as Tetra's foot was level with the visible ground it struck something solid. Much like ripples of water when a pebble is thrown into a calm pool, rainbow colors spread out from the place she had touched the invisible platform. The colors formed a large square tile which glowed with a cool iridescent light. Tetra stepped completely off of the polished floor and onto the new tile.

"There really are hidden tiles!" Tetra announced walking around the entire platform as if to prove it was real. A few seconds later she nearly fell off of the tile when it shook unexpectedly as if it was about to fall out from underneath her.

"Tetra get off of it!" Link advised her. She consulted her compass briefly before hopping over to where she assumed the next tile was. She happened to be correct, and another tile alighted under her feet. The previous one disappeared as soon as she stepped off of it. Link watched as Tetra followed the path the compass laid out for her, going as fast as she could since the tiles seemed to time out if she paused on one for too long. When she was a little more than halfway across she misjudged the exact placement of the next floating tile in her haste. She teetered on the edge, attempting to right herself. Just when she had almost managed to regain her balance the tile rumbled a warning.

This knocked her completely off balance and she fell forward off of the tile with a scream, barely managing to tighten her grip on her compass. Instead of watching her fall, Link took action, whipping out his clawshot and firing it so fast that he couldn't process that he'd even done it until Tetra slammed into him. He slid back a couple feet, but managed to stay standing.

"What is wrong with you?" Tetra demanded, immediately pushing herself away from him.

"Oh excuse me. I didn't know you had a death wish," Link returned, slightly annoyed she was arguing with him. Seriously, was he supposed to let her fall?

"I don't have a death wish!" Tetra shot back hotly, crossing her arms and glaring at him, "I meant why didn't you do that sooner? You know, before I risked my life stepping on invisible tiles?"

Link looked down at the weapon in his hand and then back at Tetra, "I…don't know. I just thought of it."

Tetra rolled her eyes. "Whatever, just get Kid over here."

"Hey, Kid! I'm going to pull you over to me, okay?" Link announced, waving his clawshot in the air so Kid could see it.

"No, don't do that!" Kid called to him and Link lowered the weapon, "I'll just go by the tiles."

"Why must you do everything the hard way?" Tetra shouted back to him.

"I'm not trying to be difficult. It's just that I don't think it'd be good for me to get whipped around like that at the moment," Kid explained. Link wondered if that meant that the wound was worse than he thought. He hoped not since he really couldn't do much of anything for Kid even if they did regroup. They hadn't heard from Zelda in a while and she was the only one with potions.

"Fine, then watch your compass closely. Once the tile you're standing on starts to shake you have about ten seconds to get on the next one before it falls," Tetra informed him.

"Got it," Kid nodded before stepping on the first rainbow tile. He consulted his compass a couple times before moving on to the next one. Overall, he progressed slower than Tetra, but this didn't seem to make anything more difficult. Actually, now that he thought about it, Tetra had been a little too hasty. He knew that she contained a significant amount of temerity, but she usually had some sort of unspoken plan in her head before she went ahead with anything. Link glanced at Tetra out of the corner of his eye. She was standing with her arms crossed, staring moodily out at the gap, watching Kid make his way across. She almost looked like she was swaying on her feet.

"Hey, Tetra, are you alright?" Link asked her, daring to take his eyes off of Kid for a few seconds.

"Huh?" Tetra glanced at him before turning her attention back to Kid, "Oh yeah. I'm okay." He noticed that as she said this she tried to subtly plant her feet on the ground, so she was steady.

She appeared to be okay except for a few minor scratches, but Link suddenly wasn't so sure. He'd noticed that she'd been acting a little different than usual. Link wondered if it was because of yesterday. If it was he didn't really know how to console her, and that was if she wanted to be consoled which, knowing her, she probably didn't.

Link, turning his attention back to Kid, decided to mind his own business. She was most likely fine, and he was over-reacting because he knew that Kid was hurt. After all, she'd just almost fallen into an abyss. Anyone would be a little shaky after that experience.

After a few agonizing minutes Kid made it safely across the gap. To Link's dismay he noticed that there was indeed a spot of red clashing with the lively green of Kid's tunic.

"How did that happen?" Link wondered indicating Kid's injured side.

"Uh, the redead kind of grabbed me when I was frozen and…this happened," Kid explained shortly.

"Okay, c'mon then," Link sighed, feeling helpless, "Let's find Zelda because I don't have any potions on me at the moment, which reminds me, before we attempt the next temple we're restocking on potions and everyone is going to be carrying at least one with them at all times."

"Alright, but the princess isn't here yet," Kid said distancing himself from the edge and joining Link and Tetra in the middle.

"How do you know that?" Link questioned him.

"Because, my door slammed shut behind me, Tetra's did the same, as did yours. I never heard a fourth slam, so she can't be here yet," Kid concluded.

"She wasn't informed of the plan so naturally she'd be the last one to arrive," Tetra spoke up.

It was then that Link noticed something else. Link wasn't positive, but he thought that he also saw spots of scarlet dotting the front rim of Kid's long hat that was much like his own, except less complex. "Hey Kid, come here a second," Link ordered him, wondering if he was seeing things. Kid complied, and Link reached out his hand to lightly touch the questionable spot on the side of Kid's head. Kid instantly recoiled with a yelp, hovering his hands over the area that Link had touched.

"Owwww….okay I forgot to mention the other part of it," Kid admitted with a moan.

"Which was…" Link prompted him, dreading the answer.

"Well, when the redead grabbed me I tried to get free, but it didn't want to let me go, and so to make me stay still it kind of slammed me back into the wall…" Kid explained, gingerly touching the sore spot and wincing when it stung. A sudden urge to find the redead and kill it again came over him.

It subsided after a moment or two though, and Link spoke up, "I hope Zelda gets here soon then."

"It's not that bad," Kid insisted, "I didn't get hit that hard."

"Not that bad…" Link trailed off, incredulous, "It  _is_  bad! You're bleeding from your head and your side!"

"Not that much," Kid argued. Link honestly couldn't believe that they were debating the topic. A slam of a door halted Link's next retort in its tracks.

The threesome hurried to the other side of the partial crescent they were perched on. Zelda could be seen on the other side of the room. The distance was too great to attempt to be heard, and besides that he didn't want to startle her. There appeared to be two logs almost identical to the one he'd used to cross on her side. Zelda made her way across the first log, and once she got to the end she finally noticed them. She waved and they waved back. Link motioned for her to come closer.

She complied by stepping onto the second unstable-looking log and balancing her way across. Once she stepped off of it and onto the last and smallest crescent-shaped floor, she made her way around so she was closer, although another gap of roughly twenty feet separated them.

Link quickly summed up the situation and announced it to the princess. Once she had agreed to stand still while they crossed the abyss, Link, Tetra, and Kid set their compasses for Zelda's. Link glanced down at his compass. The needle pointed slightly to the right on a diagonal which made him a bit skeptical of where the invisible platform exactly was. He located it to the best of his ability and hesitantly stepped on the spot he thought was safe. Luckily for him, he was correct and a multi-colored tile came to life under his feet. He immediately noticed that the surface was slick just like that of the visible floor, only slightly less so.

The other compasses seemed to be indicating the same path, and Link wondered if there really was only one. Kid and Tetra stepped onto the same platform. The tile was big enough to accommodate them all but just barely. They all looked to their compasses for the next step. The needle pointed straight ahead so they complied. The following direction was unclear. Link's compass was spinning wildly as if it had no clue where to go. Suddenly it stopped and pointed slightly to the right. He tried to follow it as best as he could, but when his experiment nearly sent him falling off the edge of the platform he retreated slightly.

"This is why I fell," Tetra spoke up in an annoyed tone, "The stupid compass isn't very clear in its directions."

"I had a few of these. It means that the next tile is jumping distance away," Kid commented. Suddenly the tile protested under their weight, shaking as if trying to discard them.

Link stabled himself as best as he could before jumping over to where he hoped the next tile was. The iridescent square alighted underneath him and Link slid a little across the surface. Tetra jumped over next, nearly sliding into Link with the momentum behind her jump. Kid came over last and he almost didn't jump far enough. He made it with mere centimeters to spare and only then did Link refocus his attention on his compass.

The predetermined path laid out for them by an inanimate object was full of zigzags and confusing turns. Sometimes it seemed that they were doubling back before they got on the right track again. After what seemed like forever they made it safely to the other side.

Zelda had a potion ready and gave it to Kid. Unlike the red potion she'd whipped out before, this one was blue. She claimed that she no longer had any red potion left, but the blue one should work better anyway. Link knew that she was right from his own experiences with the medicine, but he wouldn't doubt her anyway.

After Kid had finished the potion and Zelda was checking his wounds to make sure they had closed up, Link wandered over to the sign he had noticed earlier. A message was written there.

" _To those whose souls are touched by the hands of courage: Jump into the darkness and let it carry thee below."_

Link looked past the sign. A circular pit was laid out before him. He supposed that it was safe to do as the sign indicated since an invisible platform was probably placed over the darkness as a make-shift safety net. However, for some reason the notion seemed false in his mind.

"What's the sign say?" Tetra asked, coming up behind him suddenly and startling him.

"Uh…it says to jump," Link stuttered, summing up the caption and wondering why Tetra didn't read it herself if she wanted to know.

"Down there?" Tetra wondered, indicating the large ring of black with a nod of her head.

"I think so," Link confirmed, peering down into the darkness.

"Okay, then let's go," Tetra said, preparing to jump down. Link grabbed her arm and pulled her back from the edge.

"I don't think it's a good idea," Link announced.

"Why not?" Tetra wanted to know, yanking her arm out of his grasp in a huff. Without warning the ground shook, and they all fought to keep their balance. From out of the black pit in front of them a monster shot up. It looked similar to a deku baba, but its size nearly matched that of the massive creature Link had fought so long ago in the Forest Temple.

"That's why," Link answered cheekily. Tetra just scowled at him as they took a few steps back from the monstrosity, drawing their weapons. It let out what Link assumed to be a battle cry and turned to face them. The deku baba like creature opened its mouth wide, showing off its large rows of pointed teeth. Instead of lunging forward like he expected it to, the monster launched a bunch of tiny seeds at them. The bullets traveled swiftly and hit hard. Link brandished his shield in front of him as a means of defense. A second later he realized that Tetra had no way to defend herself from the assault and moved in front of her as best as he could without lowering his guard.

The projectiles panged off of his shield to an undecided rhythm. Once the pellets ceased Link glanced behind him to check on Tetra who he hoped was alright since he hadn't blocked her immediately. To his dismay he found her lying on the ground. For a split second he thought that she was unconscious but fortunately that didn't seem to be the case. She picked herself up a little, looking dazed.

Link glanced back at the monster to find it had turned its attention to Kid and the princess a little ways away. He lowered his shield and hurried over to Tetra, kneeling down next to her.

"I…I'm okay," Tetra informed him, shaking her head a little to clear it.

"Are you sure?" Link checked. He wasn't sure how hard she'd been hit or how many times. Tetra attempted to stand up but stumbled and nearly fell. Link caught her before she could hit the ground and lowered her back to the floor. He didn't understand her condition. She couldn't have been hit that hard, right? Sure, the seeds were hard and they were traveling fast, so they'd certainly leave a few bruises, but he didn't think them capable of something like this.

"Where did you get hit?" Link asked her, hoping to get an answer that would explain her current state.

"Just a few times in my arms and legs. I'm okay, really," Tetra responded, shifting away from him slightly, evidently not comfortable with him touching her. He was afraid to release her though since she seemed to be struggling to stay sitting up.

"Link," Zelda called to him. He could hear her approaching and turned to look. "Let me take care of her. You and Kid handle the monster," Zelda said, taking charge. Link and Zelda switched places, and he quickly made his way over to Kid who had just finished blocking another one of the creature's seed attacks.

"What happened to Tetra?" Kid wanted to know, moving closer to Link.

"I don't know. She got hit a few times. Zelda's with her now though, so she should be fine," Link explained, "Let's take care of this thing for now." Kid nodded his agreement and they turned to face their foe.

The plant monster lunged forward, and they scattered to opposite sides to avoid it. Link slid a little but quickly regained his footing. The floor was almost as slick as ice and was by no means a decent place for a physical fight of any kind. From the side view Link noticed the vine posing as its narrow body attached to the head for the first time. It was a dark green color with purple thorns traveling up its length. Numerous green tendrils held its head in place at the back. If they could find a way to cut the vines then surely they'd defeat it.

Just as Link was about to take out his gale boomerang the creature drew back, and he lost his chance to do anything productive. They'd have to wait for it to snap at them again.

"When it comes forward again, use your boomerang and aim for the vines right at the back of its head," Link instructed Kid as they regrouped.

Before Kid could reply the monstrosity unleashed another attack. It was much like the one Link and Tetra had been bombarded with before, and both boys raised their shields as the tiny projectiles flew towards them. When the attack ceased the monster stayed where it was, bobbing up and down slightly and eyeing them as if trying to determine the best angle to strike at.

After a few seconds it made up its mind and lunged. Link and Kid evaded it and whipped out their boomerangs. The gale boomerang kicked up a small tornado of wind as it traveled towards its destination. It severed some of the vines at the back of the creature's head and the monster screeched in pain. Kid's bright yellow boomerang cut through the air like a knife and cut most of the vines. It appeared to be more effective than Link's wind based weapon.

The deku-baba like monster retreated, its head barely attached to the stem posing as its body. However angry it was at them it seemed incapable of changing tactics. Link was actually glad that it didn't have any tricks up its nonexistent sleeves. He wanted this thing dead as soon as possible.

The seeds ricocheted harmlessly off of his shield. Shortly after this attack it charged them once again. Link aimed and threw his boomerang from one side while Kid threw his own from the other. The final thin green tendrils holding the head in place were detached. Instantly the monster turned black as if it had been burned in a devastating fire. It crumbled to dust and that was the end of its existence.

"Wow, that went smoother than expected," Kid commented.

"That's a good thing. Don't complain about it," Link said.

"I'm not," Kid assured him. Link looked behind him, his eyes searching for the girls. He was surprised to find them both walking towards him and Kid.

"What was wrong a few minutes ago?" Link asked Tetra once they had come close enough. She looked completely fine, as if she wasn't half conscious just a few minutes ago.

Tetra shrugged, "Nothing really. I told you that I was okay. I just needed to catch my breath." Link turned his gaze on the princess for validity of this statement.

"That's somewhat true," Zelda admitted.

"What do you mean somewhat?" Kid wondered.

"When we were waiting at the spring I filled up the empty bottles with spring water since I didn't have a chance to restock the potions. As soon as I gave her some of the water she perked up, so obviously there was something wrong and still is," Zelda explained.

"What do you mean still is?" Tetra inquired in a haughty tone, "There's nothing wrong with me. I feel better than before."

"The spring water only heals wounds and replenishes energy for a short period of time. You weren't wounded, not enough to cause you to collapse anyway, so you must have been lacking energy. What's the reason for this?" Zelda challenged her.

Tetra bit her lip, seeming to be reluctant to answer. After a few seconds she appeared to come to the conclusion that no one was going to say anything until she did. Finally she sighed and replied, "I haven't been sleeping that well lately, alright?" Link couldn't believe his own ignorance. How hadn't he noticed? It was more than that though, he realized. Why hadn't Tetra said anything? He knew that she was independent and all, but that didn't seem like a good enough reason for her to say nothing.

"You should have said so," Zelda stated, "I have a sleeping potion in my bag. I sometimes get restless nights too so I usually have something on me."

"Oh…" Tetra trailed off.

"Now I feel bad about waking you up earlier," Kid told Tetra. Link hadn't even known that she'd been sleeping earlier.

Tetra waved it off, "It's fine. I probably wouldn't have stayed asleep that long anyway."

"Well, when we finish this place, you're going to rest," Link informed her and to his shock she actually nodded her head in agreement. She always opposed him, never agreed with him. It must be bad then. Link decided he was going to try to pay more attention to his companions since he was obviously missing a lot. Although, this wasn't entirely his fault. Tetra was too deceptive for her own good.

"We should try to finish soon," Zelda cut in, "As I said before, the effects are temporary when the problem isn't wound based."

"Okay, well, I'm guessing we still have to jump down there to progress, and it should be safe now since you guys defeated that thing," Tetra said, pointing to the large hole beyond the sign. They all approached the edge and peered down. The way was still dark, but Link was almost certain that he could see a speck of light at the bottom.

"I'll go first I guess," Link sighed.

"Why can't I go first?" Tetra wanted to know.

"Because we don't know what's down there. There could be more of those monsters, and if there are you have no means of defense," Link explained to her.

"Are you sure we're meant to jump down there?" Zelda inquired, regarding the large hole with uncertainty.

"Read the sign," Link told her, "It said to."

"You're going by what a sign said?" Zelda asked, her voice rising slightly in disbelief.

"Ultimately, yes," Link answered.

"Is that really wise?"

"Probably not, but do you know of a better option because I'm open to suggestion"

"No…I suppose I don't…"

"Look, if someone doesn't jump soon, I'm going for it," Tetra interrupted them.

"I'm going first, then you guys can jump down after me in whatever order you want," Link announced. He stepped closer to the edge before anyone had time to respond and after briefly wondering what he got himself into, jumped.

As the darkness closed in around him Link began to realize how stupid this seemed. He wasn't even sure if there really was anything at the bottom, yet he had jumped anyway. After a few more seconds of the wind failing to catch him his eyes drank in a bright white light. He hit something, but it wasn't ground.

Instead it was rather bouncy and after a few times of being thrown a little ways up in the air and back down again, he settled on it, although it still trembled a little beneath him. As his eyes adjusted he realized that he was perched on a giant mushroom top. It looked similar to the ones he had seen earlier, except bigger, and its color was a milky white. Link somehow managed to find the end and slid off of it. He touched down on a dirt floor and turned around to look up. From down here he could clearly distinguish the opening he'd fallen through, despite the darkness that lay in between.

"It's safe; you can come down!" Link called up to his companions, hoping that they could hear him. A few seconds later the mushroom jiggled and white spores were kicked up before settling down on the ground and winking out of existence.

"Where are you?" Tetra's voice asked.

"Over here," Link said, backing up a little to try to make it easier for her to see him. Tetra soon appeared at the edge of the bulbous mushroom. She jumped off of it and joined him on the ground.

"Okay, someone else can come down now!" Tetra shouted up to the other two. Kid came down shortly after and Zelda followed him. Once everyone was safely on the ground they looked around the new area. Overall, it wasn't much to look at. The large white mushroom was the only notable thing in the room and it was also what seemed to provide the most light.

Link took out his lantern so they would have a more reliable light source. Shining its fiery gaze around the room, Link uncovered a door beneath the darkness. They wandered over to it only to find that it was sealed shut. It was covered in vines and moss, but this nuisance was easily discarded. However, the lock and chain around it wasn't as easily tossed aside.

"Look around, the key must be here somewhere," Link ordered them setting his lantern down, so it cast a warm orange glow around the relatively small room. For the next few minutes they all searched for the key. A couple times the notion crossed his mind that they had missed it somewhere in the maze, but he was quick to deny the thought, knowing that they had no way to get back up to where they were before to try to find it if it really was there.

Link pushed aside vegetation that sprouted from the wall like the drooping leaves of a weeping willow tree. They concealed nothing behind or entangled in their cage of leaves and prickling vines. He turned his attention to the soil covering the ground. It was hard packed and he toyed with the idea of the key being buried. Before he could entertain the idea too much Zelda announced that she had found something.

"Is it the key?" Link asked, making his way over to her.

"No, but it might be a clue," Zelda replied, stepping aside so he could see what she had found. Set into the wall, mingling with the dirt and sprawling vines were a few faded bricks. Link tried to pull the middle one out, but couldn't get a good grip on it. He moved aside some of the greenery, to give himself easier access to the brick. He hadn't noticed bricks anywhere else in the room, so it must be significant.

Link tried to wrestle the thing free once again and succeeded in moving it out from its place a little. He continued pulling, stopping a few times to brush off excess dirt in an attempt to loosen it even more. After a couple minutes he managed to remove the brick, leaving a hole in its place. Link was about to put the brick down so he could investigate but something suddenly shot out of the hole and he dropped the brick in surprise, jumping back along with everyone else who had leaned closer to see.

A rat scuttled across the ground, and Link noticed that Zelda attempted to distance herself from it, apparently not a big fan of the rodent family. Once the creature's curiosity carried it too close to the princess, she drew her sword. This didn't seem to deter it though and it continued skittering across on its determined path towards the princess who slashed it when it tried to jump on her. The rat's life was quickly ended, but that didn't stop Zelda from nearly losing her regal demeanor.

Normally, Link would tease her about it, but since they were pressed for time, he chose not to do so. Instead he turned back to the small hole in the wall and tugged out another brick, trying to make access easier. Thankfully, nothing came crawling out of this new opening.

"Someone bring the light closer so I can see," Link said to no one in particular as he slid out another block and set it on the ground. Kid had grabbed the lantern from the relative center of the room and came towards where it illumination was needed most. Kid held it high so Link could see better than before.

The light revealed both welcoming and unwelcoming sights. First and foremost, the key was nestled at the back of the hole, which actually wasn't that deep. However, what lay between him and the key he could do without. He didn't know how old this temple was, but judging by the many cobwebs insulating the wall, he thought it was safe to say that it was pretty ancient. Decent sized spiders that he couldn't safely distinguish as dead or alive inhabited the space as well. He counted a total of seven. Of course, he'd fought spiders bigger than himself before so this sight shouldn't have daunted him. Still, he was reluctant to reach inside and grab the silver key at the back.

"What's in there?" Kid asked, standing on tiptoe and craning his neck to try to see. The attempt was futile though since he wasn't tall enough. In fact, Link was barely tall enough and was almost forced to stand on tiptoe to see inside.

"The key, among other things," Link answered vaguely. No one dared ask what the "other things" were and Link was glad since that would just make him think about it even more. Instead he ordered Kid to give him the lantern and step back. Kid obliged and took a few steps back to be on the safe side.

With the lantern in his right hand Link reached inside the wall with his left and quickly trapped the key in his hand. He pulled it out and shook out his hand to get the sticky webs off. Most of them had lost their glue-like abilities and fluttered to the ground along with any clinging spiders.

"Link, there's a spider on your shoulder," Zelda calmly announced.

He could deal with spiders, but not when they were crawling all over him. His reaction was probably more dramatic than needed, but he didn't care if he looked like an idiot as long as he got the creepy arachnid got off of him. After a few seconds he heard his companions laughing but thought nothing of it as he jumped around the room like a lunatic. Only when the fits of laughter continued did he stop and realize that there was nothing on him and had never been in the first place. He turned his gaze on the princess who he could see was smiling and trying to act like she'd never been laughing at his expense, while it was quite obvious that she had been. Kid was still laughing a little and Tetra was struggling to compose herself, crossing her arms and looking at nothing to try to give off the impression that she was bored.

Link walked over to retrieve his lantern and the key from where he had dropped them in his panic. Once he had them, he turned to Zelda, "Well played princess," he declared.

"Thank you," Zelda nodded her head to him before turning on her heel and strolling towards the door that they now had access to. Suddenly he regretted not saying anything about the rat.

With nothing else to do Link followed Zelda to the door. Kid fell into step beside him, still snickering and Link nudged him forward saying, "Quiet you, it's not funny!"

"It is though! Your face was hilarious!" Kid exclaimed, as he took the hint and hurried up his pace.

"He's not wrong, you know," Tetra said, her tone indifferent as she passed by him. Link shot Zelda a look of disapproval. The cloaked princess simply shrugged, a small smile hinting at the corners of her mouth.

Link was the last to join them at the locked door. He inserted the silver key into the lock and was rewarded with a satisfying click as the mechanism unlocked. With nothing to support them the lock and its chains fell to the ground in a heap. The door opened of its own accord and they all peered inside. The room appeared to be like the rest of the temple, well lit in select areas, relatively dark in others.

Without any other options they all entered the new room. To no one's surprised the door slammed shut behind them, sealing off all means of escape. It was hard to tell the exact shape of the room since walls were placed up all around it like a maze. If he had to guess the overall shape he'd say that it was a large circle judging by the curving walls and the symbol on the floor in the beginning of the temple.

To their left a deep rumble sounded and they turned to look. Darkness blocked their view of the source. An instant later a single glowing yellow eye cut through the darkness. Its pupil was ringed by a perfect circle of green complimented with red on the edges. This wouldn't be particularly intimidating if it wasn't for the fact that the eye was about twice the size of Link's ball and chain weapon.

The single eye blinked once, and, without uttering a battle cry, the guardian charged out of the depths of the shadows.


	28. Fighting the Unseen

Running. It was an action that many associated with cowardice, but that wasn't necessarily true. Running got you places faster, it was great exercise, and, Kid viewed this asset as the most important, it could save your life. For instance, when there's a monster larger than a building after you, running was the best option. Of course, admiring its colossal beauty was an option too, but that would ensure your imminent death in about five seconds flat.

That was why they had turned tail as soon as the creature had blinked. The sheer size of its eye was enough to deter them from loitering there to catch a glimpse of whatever being it belonged to. Their small group careened around a left turn. Despite their head start, Kid could hear the creature behind them. It was a consistent pounding that caused the ground to heave. Somehow they managed to keep running despite the tremors.

They turned yet another corner and Kid instantly noticed that the sounds of pursuit were fading away. Slowing to a jog Kid, turned around. As expected, nothing was there. A small group of blue and green colored mushrooms illuminated their path.

"Did we lose it?" Tetra wondered, as she slowed down her pace with everyone else.

"That seems unlikely," Princess Zelda pointed out.

"Yeah, but maybe its sight isn't as great as we think," Link suggested. A loud boom sounded from ahead of them, startling them all into silence. They stared in the direction that the noise had come from, expecting to see something. However, when a few seconds passed, and they saw nothing they became confused. A large shadow fell over their group and they all looked to the sky.

It was unclear as to what was causing the shadow. Choosing not to tempt the fates, they hurried away from the dark outline. A second after Kid managed to get out of the way the guardian came crashing down. Everyone else had been ahead of him and had the time to distance themselves a little more. The force of the creature arriving sent out a tidal wave like tremor which threw Kid forward a few feet. The breath was knocked out of him when he landed but only for a split second. He got to his knees and looked behind him.

The guardian was huge to say the least, and its appearance was also a strange one. For the most part it resembled a deadly spider with intimidating pincers that could end his life with one snap. The strangest thing about it was probably the faint green paper-like wings protruding from its back. They looked too fragile and out of place for the guardian's commanding presence. Still, it explained how it got above them in the first place.

Kid got to his feet drawing his sword and backing up towards his companions who had also drawn their weapons and were staring up at, the hulking mass of brown that was the guardian.

It opened its mouth wide, and let out an ear-splitting screech that made them all cringe. The guardian then charged at them, its agility shocking him. In less than two steps it was practically on top of them. Kid dodged to the right when it tried to impale him with one of its long brown legs. He focused on weaving through its spindly appendages instead of running directly under its body, lest it decided to crush him beneath its full weight.

Two more legs and then he'd be free. Suddenly the obstacles disappeared right in front of his eyes. One moment they were there, the next they were gone as if they'd never existed. Kid skidded to a stop and looked skyward, wondering if it had jumped. That was impossible though. He'd been watching the legs the entire time and not once had they bent in unison to indicate a leap.

Kid glanced around him, shooting his companions a puzzled look which was returned to him in a second. Even though he couldn't see anything Kid could still sense a lingering presence. He didn't know how he knew. It was just a sudden feeling like the eerie sensation that comes with being watched.

A flash of blue caught his eye and he turned toward the source. Princess Zelda had put up her magical barrier of blue light. He didn't get why until a second later. Something banged against the outside of the shield and a familiar screech met their ears. It wasn't like the triumphant one from before. This cry held anger in it.

"Watch the ground closely," Princess Zelda ordered, "There's a faint shadow of the guardian visible." Kid directed his befuddled gaze to the ground. A shadowy outline of the creature could be seen. So it hadn't moved, just turned invisible. He scanned the rest of the floor carefully. He noted a brief second of movement and turned his attention towards it.

"Tetra, move!" Kid called to her, realizing that it was planning to strike her from above. She nimbly leaped to the side, and what he supposed to be one of the legs came crashing down in the place she'd previously been standing, the soft soil breaking under the pressure.

A second later Kid was surprised by an attack. His attention had been on Tetra and this had left him susceptible to the creature who kicked him away with an invisible leg. He didn't go very far until his back slammed into the wall. Pain registered in his mind, but he was so used to working around it by now that it was easily ignored. Kid stumbled to his feet.

"How are we supposed to fight what we can't see?!" Tetra screamed in annoyance, dodging another attack as she made her way towards him.

"Let's try to lose it again, so we can think," Link recommended, motioning for them all to follow him. Kid fell into step beside Tetra and the princess caught up to them soon enough. They sprinted away from the invisible creature with Link in the lead. The loud thuds and pounding of the ground were the only indicators that it was following them.

Three turns later and the sounds of pursuit faded. Kid knew that meant next to nothing though. When it lost sight of them it took advantage of its feeble wings to search for them with an aerial view of the entire web of earth-made walls they were entangled in. It wouldn't be long until it arrived.

"We could fight it using its shadow," Zelda proposed.

"That's too unreliable. Especially here," Tetra argued, gesturing around them. This section of the great maze was poorly lit. The lighting wasn't suitable enough to provide much of a shadow.

"There must be another way…" Link mused, staring at the ground hard in thought. A boom much like the one from before startled them all out of their thoughts and back on guard. Kid watched the ground, anticipating a shadow. When it appeared it was barely visible. They distanced themselves just in time. The guardian arrived with a gloating air and it shed its guise. Now visible the spider-like being menacingly clacked its oversized pincers together.

' _Come on think,'_  Kid willed himself as the guardian regarded them like a meal, ' _The body is too sturdy to pierce it with a sword. It turns invisible too quickly. The eye is its weak spot, but those pincers are in the way. If we were to get close we'd just be cut in two. Besides, it turns invisible after a while and if we can't see it then we can't locate it…'_  Suddenly an idea struck him. It was most likely fool hardy, but it was the only one he had, and no one else seemed to be coming up with any brilliant plans.

Kid sheathed his sword and retrieved his compass from where he'd stowed it away earlier. He held it tightly in his left hand, waiting for the guardian to make a move. After a couple seconds it appeared to grow tired of delaying its snack. It probably hadn't eaten in years. Decades. Centuries even. Which, unfortunately, made their small group look very appetizing.

The monster let out a battle cry, opening its mouth wide. It could definitely swallow him in one gulp. Swallowing a compass would be even easier for it. Kid drew back his arm and hurled the small object at the guardian. His aim was perfect and the compass disappeared into the spider's gaping maw. The guardian snapped its jaws shut, ignorant of the metal it had just swallowed whole.

"What did you do that for?!" Link exclaimed, shocked that he would throw away a goddess given gift.

"You'll see!" Kid replied as he turned around and began to run, "Just follow me; I have a plan!" Without question his companions trailed behind him.

As they ran Kid shouted directions over the loud thuds of their pursuer, "Get out your compasses and set them to find mine!" While everyone did as he suggested, Kid stole a glance behind him. The guardian was nowhere to be seen, but he knew that it was still there by the way the ground trembled underneath them. They rounded a corner and a loud crash was heard as the creature slammed into the wall. Apparently sharp turns were not its strong suit.

"Now we can track it. Nice thinking," Princess Zelda commended him.

"Have any ideas on how to actually damage it?" Tetra wondered.

"Yeah, but I'm not sure about how we'll go about doing it," Kid admitted, nearly falling on his face in his haste to make the next turn.

"Tell us what you've got then. Maybe we can think of something," Link said as they raced down the unfamiliar passage.

"Well, its body is really tough so swords won't do much good, but if we can cause an explosion then we might be able to hurt it. The only way we can do that safely though is if we do it from a distance. I don't know about you, but I can't throw bombs that far."

"You have bombs?" Link asked, seeming uncertain about his exact reaction.

"Yeah," Kid answered as if carrying explosives was something everyone did on a daily basis.

"Uh…okay. I think I have a solution, but we have to shake this thing off our tail first," Link announced. They easily confused it with a couple more sharp turns.

Darkness covered most of the new area aside from a few fragments of light given off by the small mushrooms scattered around the place. Kid watched as Link pulled out his bow and arrows followed by what appeared to be a bomb.

"Link, it's straight ahead," Zelda reported, keeping an eye on her compass.

"Okay, give me a sec," Link muttered, trying to concentrate affixing the bomb to the tip of the arrow. He got it to stay and lit the fuse. Kid wondered why he had never thought of doing that. It was a genius idea, if a bit dangerous. Link notched the arrow and aimed straight ahead, angling the bow slightly upwards. He released the arrow and it flew into the darkness, the small spark of the fuse the only indicator of its arcing path.

A brilliant explosion appeared up ahead and the monster let out a screech of pain, losing its invisibility instantly. Kid could only see it because of the cluster of luminescent mushrooms near it. It had collapsed onto the ground in a tangle of limbs. The single yellow and green eye was spinning dizzily in a daze. The top part of its head was smoking, so he presumed that that was where the bomb arrow had met its mark.

Kid whipped out his own bow and arrows. He drew back a single arrow with the bowstring and aimed for the eye. Kid let his arrow fly. It cut through the air with deadly accuracy and buried itself in the pupil of the colorful eye. The guardian let out a screech so loud that they were all forced to cover their ears.

Stumbling clumsily to its feet the spider-like creature shook itself, trying to dislodge the arrow. It succeeded and cloaked itself in invisibility once again. The foursome took that as their cue to escape while they had a chance. They happened to travel down a dead end and were forced to turn back. Luckily, the guardian was still disoriented and could be heard crashing into walls near the other side of the room which caused dust and dirt to rain down from the ceiling.

They found a well-lit section and paused to catch their breath.

"I think it's flying again," Link notified them, angling his compass so Kid could see too. The needle was spinning around in a never ending revolution. Unfortunately, Kid's compass couldn't be tracked in the sky.

Before anyone had time to comment a great gust of wind knocked them all off of their feet. The ground trembled under the weight of the invisible guardian. Kid scrambled to his feet, turning around to face where he presumed the guardian was. Link didn't waste time standing up. He kneeled down on one knee and aimed his arrow, which already had an active bomb strapped to it. The bomb arrow collided with its target, and the creature was forced out of its invisible shell once again.

Princess Zelda attacked its eye with a swirling ball of fire and Kid let loose another arrow. It fell a little short though and bounced harmlessly off of the monster's body. He gritted his teeth, glancing at his quiver which held three lonely arrows. He couldn't afford to be missing his target. Even if he wanted to try again, the opportunity was lost as soon as the guardian got to its feet and gave chase.

By some miracle, or curse, the guardian still appeared to be capable of sight as it pursued them. Kid noticed that Link was fumbling with another bomb and arrow as they ran. Once he successfully lit the fuse, Link turned briefly and, almost without aiming, fired the projectile at the creature.

This elicited a pained cry from the monster and it collapsed on the ground behind them. Kid slid to a stop, drawing his sword. He whirled around and rushed at the creature, intending to cut the eye with his sword instead since arrows and fire didn't seem to be doing much damage. Link had the same idea and was right behind him.

Kid reached the creature before Link and delivered the first blow. He ignored the irritating sounds it emitted and tried to focus on swinging his sword instead of the ringing in his ears. Link took the other side of the giant eye and they both were able to get a few decent hits in. Aside from the guardian's pained cries, nothing indicated that they were dealing any actual damage. The guardian suddenly snapped its pincers in an attempt to ward them off. Link and Kid back flipped out of range of before the warning could harm them, and the creature scrambled clumsily to its feet, the tips of its long limbs digging into the broken soil for purchase.

The spider-like guardian decided to assail them with a new attack. It twirled around once, its legs striking out around its body like lethal needles. Kid only had time to bring up his shield. The force of the attack sent him stumbling backward. His struggles to stay upright were in vain for he fell down a second later. The monster had completed its spin and was now standing firmly on its eight legs. The next second the guardian disappeared and Link, who had somehow managed to dodge the attack without his shield, hauled Kid to his feet and pushed him in the other direction to get him moving. Kid didn't need any encouragement. He ran. Princess Zelda and Tetra were already ahead of them and turning another corner.

"Don't go too far ahead!" Link called to the girls, now running beside Kid. The guardian was advancing quickly and Kid tried to speed up his pace.

"Come on, faster," Link ordered him. He had pulled ahead of Kid a little and fell back to stay with him.

"I…can't!" Kid gasped out. He didn't really have the energy to be doing this much running in the first place. Sure, the potion Zelda had given him had healed him completely and even restored his magic, but it didn't compensate for the blood he lost  _or_  the energy he'd expended earlier. Kid wished that he'd brought a bottle of blue potion from home. While the potions here tasted better, the bitter tasting ones from home were much more effective.

"Yes, you can," Link encouraged him, "Just a little farther." The ground rolled like the waves of the ocean which made running hard and running fast even harder. They finally rounded the corner that the girls had cleared before them. Tetra was waiting there impatiently.

"Come on, Zelda's found a place we can stay to confuse it," Tetra proclaimed, motioning for them to follow her. They both did so without complaint wary of the fast approaching threat. Tetra didn't take them far before turning sharply towards the left-hand wall and pointing downward. Kid directed his gaze to the ground and noticed that there was a barely noticeable slope leading down into the earth. Trying not to think about how far beneath the ground they already were, Kid followed his friend into the darkness with Link right behind him.

The alcove was small, but it provided enough space for them all to be somewhat comfortable. A small ball of fire hovered over Princess Zelda's open palm, providing them with light. Outside of their tiny shelter the guardian passed by, its heavy steps dislodging soil from the ceiling. Kid closed his eyes and covered his nose so he wouldn't accidentally breathe it in.

Once it passed the princess dared to speak up, although it was a whisper, "I do not think we are damaging it at all."

"Yeah, seems more like we're playing with it," Tetra agreed with a nod.

"What should we do then?" Kid asked once he had caught his breath.

"Maybe we should stop running away from it," Link suggested.

"No thanks. You can be stupid on your own," Tetra objected.

"Just hear me out," Link pleaded with her, "In Nayru's temple we needed  _wisdom_  to figure out how to defeat the guardian, in Din's we needed  _power_. Now, in Farore's, we need  _courage_."

"There's a fine line between courage and stupidity," Tetra pointed out.

"I don't think it's stupid. There's probably something we're missing by running away every time," Kid interjected.

"There could very well be, but on the other hand there could also be nothing, and we would just be putting ourselves in more danger than necessary," Princess Zelda commented.

"We'll never know until we try," Link stated, "Come on." Link moved towards the opening and peered outside. He stepped out so Kid assumed it was clear and followed him. Tetra came out next, with Princess Zelda, who had extinguished her tamed flame, in tow.

Kid glanced at Tetra's compass. The needle was spinning. That meant it was in the air searching for them. Kid scanned the sky, not expecting to see anything. A shadow fell over them quicker than he'd anticipated. Link had a bomb arrow ready and fired it directly above them. The bomb blew up upon impact and the guardian's invisibility fell off like a blanket.

Kid was surprised when the monster didn't fall. Instead bits of copper colored metal fell down from above. He raised his shield over his and Tetra's heads. The metal bounced off harmlessly. When the strange rain stopped, Kid lowered his shield and peered up at the creature. Its underbelly was noticeably softer than the rest of its body.

Link let another explosive arrow fly and this time Kid was sure that it did damage. They all scattered as the creature fell from the sky. Kid turned around to face the monster. Tetra had followed him so he presumed that Link and the princess were on the other side of the guardian. They appeared to have retreated to the rear of it where there was no weak point to strike. However he did notice something different about the very back legs. They appeared to have pieces of the same copper metal that had covered its stomach jutting out at regular intervals.

"Hey, Tetra, give me a boost," Kid said, venturing closer to the legs.

"Did you catch Link's stupid?" Tetra questioned him, hands on hips, "What do you plan to do? Climb the thing?"

"Yes," Kid answered, surprising himself a little by how quickly the answer escaped him and how calmly he uttered it.

Tetra shook her head as if in disbelief, "What's the point in climbing it though?"

"Remember all the other guardians? They had a power source which was the tear. Once we took it away, they shut down on their own," Kid explained.

"And you think the tear is on its back?" Tetra inquired, seeming to get what he was building up to.

"Well, yeah. Where else could it be?" Kid replied.

Tetra sighed, "Fine, I'll help you." Kid and Tetra hurried to the right back leg. The first piece of metal was too high for him to reach just as he'd expected. Tetra gave him a small boost, and he grabbed onto the metal, which was fairly warm to the touch, with his left hand. There were metal handholds on the other side too. It almost resembled a ladder. Kid scrambled up it as quickly as possible. When he crested the top he could see a green glow illuminating its back. A grated piece of copper tinted metal protected the suspicious light.

Confident that he'd found Farore's Tear he clambered onto the back of the guardian. Its tough hide offered no handholds. The monster's cries, of what he now knew to be annoyance, not pain, rumbled beneath him. Kid carefully stood up and balanced his way closer to the middle of its back. Now he could clearly see the diamond shaped bottle placed face down nestled in between the two fragile wings. The metal shield covering the bottle fell off as soon as he touched it, courtesy of Link and his bomb arrow from earlier. Just as he reached for the bottle the creature beneath him shook. It was standing up to its full height now. He dropped low, abandoning his prior mission and trying to hang on instead. He was a good amount of feet off of the ground. He did  _not_  want to fall.

Kid crawled a little closer to the tear, reaching out a hand. He could almost grab it. Just as his fingertips brushed the cool glass, the guardian became aware of his presence on its back. It executed another one of its spins in an attempt to discard him. It worked.

With nothing to hold onto Kid flew off of the behemoth spider's back with a surprised yell. Kid tried to right himself in the air, but couldn't quite do it in his panic. He hit the ground hard, gasping as the air was forced out of his lungs. Then he could breathe again and he just laid on his side, trying to figure out where the pain was coming from or if there was any at all.

"KID!" Tetra screamed, he could hear her getting closer, or maybe it was guardian. Both of them sounded loud in his mind at the moment. He shut his eyes, trying to reorient himself since his mind seemed to still be in the air. He could still hear the running footsteps, but something louder blocked them out and he instantly knew that it was the monster.

Kid forced his eyes open just in time to see the guardian's leg getting ready to crush him. He gritted his teeth, bracing for impact. Suddenly Princess Zelda appeared in front of him in a swirl of wind. With her back to him she put up a barrier of blue around them, protecting them both from the guardian. Tetra arrived soon after with Link on her heels.

"I told you it was a stupid idea, stupid!" Tetra scolded him as Link helped him sit up.

"Could you not yell?" Kid requested, his head pounding and heart racing from the sudden rush of adrenaline.

"All of you, hurry. There is no guarantee as to how long I can hold this," Princess Zelda reminded them.

"Can you walk?" Link asked him, getting up and holding out a hand to help him to his feet.

"Forget walking, we need to run," Princess Zelda spoke up, "Just carry him." Link looked to Kid as if to silently ask for his consent. Kid gave it with a nod of his head, knowing that he was too disoriented to stand, let alone run. Link scooped him up in a second and began to run the other way, with Tetra not far behind.

"Okay, Zelda, let's go!" Link yelled over his shoulder. Princess Zelda followed them after the next strike bounced off of her magical shield. The princess caught up to them in record time.

"Is there another niche like the one from earlier around here?" Link interrogated Princess Zelda as they ran.

"I don't know, I only found the last one because I had time to stop and look around," came the princess' hurried reply. The guardian had disappeared again so there was no point in looking over Link's shoulder since he couldn't even judge how close it was to them. Kid turned his head to see where they were heading. The passage laid out before them was straight and he didn't see any indications of a turn off point in any direction.

They reached the end of the wide corridor. It was a dead end. Perfect. Princess Zelda fired a barrage of brilliant balls of orange and red fire that burst upon contact. This seemed to work much like the bomb arrows and the guardian shed its invisible skin. However, unlike the bomb arrows, the princess' attacks did not immobilize it.

Link carefully set Kid down on the ground and pulled out his bow and improvised projectiles. Link lit the fuse on one of them and pulled the bowstring back. He fired it, and it exploded with a loud boom that seemed to bounce around in Kid's skull.

"Now let's get back to the niche we used before," Link declared, picking Kid up again and going around the fallen creature. Tetra and the princess followed close behind, and they soon reached their previous hiding spot. Princess Zelda went first, a fireball in her hand to provide some light. Link slid down the small slope next and Tetra came down soon after.

Link set Kid down and then demanded, "What the heck was that?! Why were you on top of it?"

"I was trying to get to the tear," Kid said, wincing as the pain in his right shoulder made itself known with the waning of adrenaline.

"The tear is on its back?" Princess Zelda wondered, looking up briefly from a small pouch that Kid just noticed she was rummaging through with one hand.

"Mmhmm. Right in between its wings," Kid replied.

"However stupid he is, he's right," Tetra spoke up, her arms crossed over her chest, "The tears are the power sources for these guardians. We can hack and slash at it all we want, but the fact is that we won't be able to defeat it that way. Weapons can only subdue it temporarily. If we want to finish it for good, we need to take its power source away."

"Here, Kid, drink this," Princess Zelda interrupted their conversation, forcing a bottle into Kid's hands. He had no choice but to take it. The liquid inside was clear and sparkled despite the lack of light.

"Its spring water," Princess Zelda informed him, noticing his hesitation. He hadn't known that it was safe to drink but then he remembered that Tetra had drank it earlier and she was completely fine now. Deciding to do as he was told, Kid downed the bottle's contents. It didn't taste any different from normal water. A few seconds later a wave of energy rolled over him. He noticed as the weariness that was dragging down his bones disappeared at once as well as the pain. Nothing hurt anymore.

"Wow, that stuff works miracles," Kid commented handing the bottle back to the princess.

"Don't get used to the energy boost. It'll fade with time," Princess Zelda advised him as she put the bottle away.

"Anyway, about the guardian, if it's really like you say then all we have to do is get behind it, right? Isn't that how you got on top of it?" Link wondered.

Kid nodded, "Yeah, the back legs have metal pieces sticking out of them. It forms a ladder, sort of. I used that to climb up."

"Okay, let's go," Link said after checking that the coast was clear. They all hurried out of the alcove and into the open.

"It's flying," Tetra noted after a quick glance at her compass. Link prepared a bomb arrow but didn't light it yet. They didn't have to wait long for a shadow to fall over them. Kid tried to locate its backside by the shadow. To his left he could see the shadow of the pincers. That meant they had to dodge to the right. Link fired the arrow and the guardian became visible.

"To the right!" Kid instructed them. Thankfully, they all made it in time before the creature fell. It laid there in a daze as they all approached the closet back leg. Link could reach the strange handholds without assistance and climbed up the limb with little effort. Kid and the rest of his companions waited with tensed muscles on the ground, ready to spring into action if Link needed assistance.

"I can't get it out!" Link shouted to them.

"Try twisting it instead of pulling," Tetra suggested. Without warning the guardian started to get to its feet and they all retreated.

"Got it!" Link announced not a second later. The guardian fell in a heap to the ground, its many legs failing to support it.

"What about my compass?" Kid dared to ask. Even though he had been the one to sacrifice it, he still didn't want to lose it for good. It could be essential later on, after all.

"That's here too. Catch," Link reported, tossing the object to Kid who caught it. Not a scratch was on it. It was as if he hadn't ever even thrown it into the mouth of a monster. Link carefully climbed off of the dysfunctional guardian and joined them on the floor, holding the diamond-shaped bottle high so they could all see it. An ivy green orb pulsed inside of it.

"Three down, one to go," Link declared, adding Farore's Tear to their collection.

"Wait a minute, there's only three goddesses, so there should only be three tears, right?" Kid pointed out.

"Yeah, aren't we done with these stupid temples?" Tetra chimed in, obviously fed up with everything.

"Lanayru said that every light spirit was entrusted with a tear. There are four light spirits, so there must be four tears," Princess Zelda reminded them.

"Still, they're right. I've only ever heard of Din, Nayru, and Farore. I never heard of any other goddess," Link spoke up.

"Neither have I," Princess Zelda confided, "But that doesn't mean that there isn't one I suppose. History isn't always recorded properly…"

"But a  _goddess_? Why would someone want to hide her existence?" Link wondered.

They all pondered this question as they wandered around the maze-like room searching for the exit. After a few minutes, Kid thought that he had finally formed a coherent answer. Perhaps the goddess had not been deliberately erased from history. Based upon what had happened to the kingdom of Hyrule, or what was going to happen to it, he supposed that it was possible that she ceased to exist over time and was therefore forgotten. The exact reason for this, he couldn't even begin to guess, but maybe they'd be able to get an exact answer from the next light spirit.

The exit turned out to be in the middle of the great labyrinth of hard-packed walls of dirt and clay and bulbous mushrooms of varying sizes. Tetra stepped into the puddle of blue and Kid followed her.

The magic whisked them away to the peaceful shore of Faron's Spring. The sunlight filtering through the treetops was brighter than before. While the leaves blocked his view of the sky, Kid estimated that it was a little past noon. It felt like they'd been in that temple for forever, not mere hours.

"So you're finally back. I was getting tired of waiting," a voice spoke up with a yawn. Kid turned his attention towards the voice. Sitting with her legs crossed on a low hanging branch was the imp girl from before. However, she looked different than the last time he saw her. Her body appeared to be covered in shadow, so she was just a dark silhouette. Only her eyes stood out against the darkness.

"Hey, Midna, no trouble while we were gone?" Link asked, walking closer to her, completely unfazed by her appearance.

"Nah, it was boring," Midna declared, standing up and stretching, "I would have much rather gone with you guys. Looks like you had fun."

"We didn't," Link assured her.

"So what's the plan now?" Midna wondered, changing the subject.

"Go home, relax, eat, sleep, prepare for tomorrow," Link listed.

"Ooh, what adventure's endangering our lives tomorrow?" Midna questioned. By the way she said it, Kid couldn't tell if she was truly curious or just being sarcastic.

"The last temple," Link answered her as he started to walk towards the horses, "Now are you coming, or not?"

"Heck yeah! These trees have no personality! I like your shadow much better," Midna exclaimed in a huff, hopping off of the branch and melting into Link's shadow. Kid became puzzled by her last comment. Did shadows normally have personalities? He still didn't understand Midna and doubted he ever would.

Link helped Tetra mount Epona since the effect of the spring water was beginning to wear off, and began to lead the horse to his house. Kid followed close behind, as Princess Zelda led her own steed by the reins. As they crossed the large suspension bridge Kid tried to see in between the boards, almost expecting to see ocean. Of course, there was nothing but a long drop beneath them. He suddenly decided to keep his eyes in front of him, the threat of the long drop making him uneasy.

Kid inwardly sighed in relief when they reached the other side. Heights didn't normally unnerve him, so he didn't understand why it gave him a bad feeling now. They passed the spring on the way to Link's house. He'd only made this journey once before and back then he was so excited to reunite with everyone else that he'd blocked out most of the things around him. Now everything was calm, and he could appreciate the way that the shallow spring sparkled in the afternoon sunlight as they passed it, and how the trees cast immense shadows that were both intimidating and comforting at the same time.

After a short trek they reached Link's house. Kid held out a hand to help Tetra down. She almost refused the aid, but when she nearly fell off the animal she grabbed his hand and shot him an annoyed look, as if he was the one that had caused her to nearly fall off. Once Tetra was safely on the ground they both turned to follow Link and the princess up the ladder leading to the house's entrance.

Kid liked Link's house. It was strange in a good way. The prospect of a house built into a tree was a new one for him. The only thing that set him on edge was the fireplace. One wrong move and the house was toast. As soon as they were inside Midna drifted out of Link's shadow. She still looked like a shadow herself and Kid wondered why. He contemplated an inquiry but in the end chose not say anything, not wanting to sound rude.

The rest of the day wasn't quite as action filled as the first half of it had been for which Kid was grateful. Shortly after they arrived at Link's home, Princess Zelda gave Tetra a potion to help her sleep since, after ten minutes of laying down, she complained about not being able to sleep despite her fatigue. Tetra was out in a manner of short minutes after that. They enjoyed a late lunch which was mostly based around the conversation of Midna and the Twilight Realm. Kid had learned that she really was a princess and Zant was not, in fact, the king as he claimed. It was also revealed that the Shadow Beasts he had fought earlier were actually citizens of the Twilight Realm, transformed by dark magic. This information caused Kid to feel guilty about fighting them but Midna went on to explain that he did not actually harm them. He'd simply defeated the evil controlling them. After they had eaten Link left to restock on their potions and Kid tagged along, bored out of his mind with nothing else to do. Midna accompanied them too, although she retreated to Link's shadow for the duration of the trip and didn't speak. The shop where they had bought the potions, and lantern oil since Link had run out, was not in the village of Ordon like Kid had expected. It was near the outskirts of Faron Woods and run by a peculiar little bird named Trill. Hyrule was definitely stranger than he'd imagined, but then again, he'd thought the Great Sea was generally normal until he had actually sailed it. During the remainder of the quickly fading day Princess Zelda offered to mend and clean his tunic. He accepted with a twinge of guilt, though he couldn't exactly say why. Maybe it was because he was used to doing things himself by now instead of having others do it for him.

Reflecting back on it now as he lay down trying to sleep, Kid attempted to cling to those thoughts in favor of the rather unsettling ones from earlier in the day. If he'd learned anything over the course of time after he'd become a hero, it was that you don't think about bad things before you fall asleep. That always ensured nightmares. Sometimes he would have them regardless so the system wasn't perfect, but the probability of him having one was lower than it would be if he were to be dwelling on thoughts of battle before sleep claimed him.

He wasn't actually conscious of nodding off, although he must have done so at some point since he was being pulled out of sleep now. Kid sleepily opened his eyes, noting how the fire still danced out a lost tale in the fireplace and the house was just as dark as it had been when he'd last been conscious. He propped himself up on an elbow, rubbing his eyes to clear the blurriness from them as he tried to distinguish what the voices in the room were saying.

"…so why can't you just give it to me?" that was Tetra's voice practically pleading. Somehow she managed to sound exasperated at the same time and he immediately wondered what the problem was.

"Because it will do more harm than good. Try to get back to sleep on your own," the new voice belonged to the princess. Her tone was hushed, evidently attempting to be quiet while Tetra had no qualms about raising her voice up a few decibels.

"What's going on?" Kid wondered, turning to face them still trying to push the enticing embrace of sleep away.

"Kid, go back to sleep," Link answered him. He sounded tired himself, as if he'd just woken up. The three of them were gathered in the middle of the room. As much as Kid would have liked to return to the world of dreams he found that he couldn't. Not yet anyway. Not until he figured out what was wrong with Tetra.

"Look, you can't have any more of the potion so why don't you just tell us what is making sleep so difficult for you?" Link sighed, addressing Tetra. Kid looked to his best friend, wondering if she'd confess about whatever it was that was troubling her.

"Talking doesn't make things better," Tetra declared as if she was stating a fact rather than her opinion.

"Bottling stuff up does not help either," Princess Zelda countered.

Tetra was silent for a few seconds, contemplating her next words carefully, "Okay…I'll talk, but not to you guys."

"I'm guessing you want to talk to me then?" Kid ventured, taking that as his cue to speak up.

"Yes," Tetra replied, seeming to notice that he was awake for the first time.

"Whatever, will help I guess," Link submitted, "If you guys want to take a walk that's fine with me, but don't take too long, or I'm going to assume something is wrong and come find you."

With their mutual deal in place, Kid and Tetra departed. Kid followed Tetra in silence, letting her lead the way to their destination. A light rain that he had failed to notice earlier drizzled down from the sky. The perfectly round droplets of water bounced off of them as they walked. Kid had forgotten that he'd even been wearing the blessed necklace in the first place, so the absence of water soaking through his clothes and coating his skin startled him at first, but he was quick to get over it.

Tetra finally stopped when they reached the middle of the suspension bridge.

"Why here?" Kid wondered, a little curious as to why she had chosen this exact location.

Tetra shrugged, sitting down on the bridge and dangling her feet over the gorge below, "It seems safer than anywhere else. The light spirits seem to know everything going on in their provinces. That," she pointed in the direction they'd just come from, "is Ordona's province, and that," she pointed in the direction of Faron Woods, "is Faron's Province. This bridge is between the two. Therefore, it doesn't belong in any rightful province so it shouldn't be monitored. Whatever we say here can't be heard by anyone, not even the spirits." Kid nodded in comprehension, following her example and sitting down beside her.

Kid suddenly realized why the bridge had caused him uneasiness earlier in the day. It was because it held an uncanny resemblance to the wooden suspension bridge that had once allowed access to the Forest of Fairies on Outset. The same bridge that his sister had been kidnapped on, and the same bridge that had broken, setting forth a course of events that could never be undone. Basically, the day that the bridge fell apart was the day that his life did as well.

He shook the memories out of his head. They weren't here for him to dwell on such things. They were here to discuss whatever was bothering Tetra. Kid glanced at his friend, she was gazing at the sky, watching the rain as if she didn't expect it to stop. It was just a shower though. It would pass.

"So…uh, what's up?" Kid asked, breaking the silence.

Tetra sighed softly, playing with the slightly frayed edge of one of the ropes, trying to gather her thoughts. He waited patiently for her response, knowing that talking things out wasn't exactly her strong suit. She was much more comfortable taking action than sitting and chatting about her problems.

"This is all because of a dream I had…" Tetra began.

"Go on," he urged her wondering if it had been a dream or a nightmare, but not daring to ask lest he cause her to rethink telling him.

"It was…a prophetic dream," Tetra said, her last words were so quiet that he almost didn't hear her. A prophetic dream? He knew that she occasionally had them, but she'd sworn to always tell him as soon as she had one. Why she'd ignored that agreement, he didn't know, but he wished that she hadn't. Then again, her silence had been in favor of keeping their secrets. If she'd blurted this out with everyone listening then they'd probably be able to piece together the seemingly unsolvable puzzle of who they were and where they came from. After all, messages from the goddesses were not a normal package to be receiving. Only the chosen ones could have them, but Kid found that he'd never had one. Tetra had assured him a long time ago that he didn't want to and he believed her. They didn't sound pleasant by the way she described them.

Another thing that bothered him was that the light spirits seemed to imply that they knew exactly who they were by addressing their group as the "four chosen ones" every time. Their companions had to be questioning that one by now. Yet it was possible that the spirits knew nothing of their origins and were simply addressing them the way that they'd been instructed to. Kid hoped the latter was true.

"What was it about?" Kid questioned her, eager for the answer but at the same time afraid of what he might hear. There had to be more of a reason other than keeping secrets that she didn't want anyone else to know.

"It was the worst one I've ever had. I mean, I know they're all warnings, that's a given or I wouldn't even have them in the first place, but…this one was different," Tetra said, glancing at him out of the corner of her eye as if she couldn't exactly bring herself to look at him.

"What was different about it?" he gently prompted.

"It…it's always bad but…" Tetra trailed off, and he waited, a bit impatiently, for her to continue. She took a deep breath as if to calm herself before doing so, "no one ever dies."

"Who died?" Kid immediately asked her, his voice hushed as if they were speaking of forbidden things. Sleep seemed so far away now. He was wide awake and slightly terrified to hear the answer.

Tetra turned away from him slightly, seeming to be debating whether she should tell him or not. He refrained from asking once more knowing that if he pressed too far she'd lock everything inside again.

"…You," Tetra replied, not daring to look at him.

"W-wait. Me?" Kid clarified, unable to mask the trembling in his voice.

"Link too," Tetra added quietly. Kid was lost for words.

"What? But I don't…" Kid trailed off not knowing how to react. How do you react when someone tells you that you're going to die soon? Of course he knew that he'd die someday, it happened to everyone; it was the unfortunate circle of life. He just didn't anticipate that  _he_  would expire so soon. "Are you sure we were…dead?" he dared to ask, dreading the answer.

Tetra still wasn't making eye contact with him, but she slowly nodded and Kid sucked in a shaky breath as if it was his last. Everything was silent then. Kid's ears didn't pick up the consistent drum of the rain's fingers on the wood of the bridge, the small wind might as well have been nonexistent too for he couldn't hear its whispers. His mind was too loud with thoughts of what Tetra had just told him to concentrate on these petty details of nature.

"Well, wasn't that an interesting conversation?" a voice giggled from behind them. Snapped out of their solemn mood, Kid and Tetra whirled around to locate the owner of the voice. The imp girl stood there, a sly look drawn onto her face, hands laced behind her head. No longer did she resemble a shadow. She looked as he'd first seen her, a black and white imp with greenish blue runes crawling over various parts of her body. Her hair, which was a bright orange, practically glowed in the poor lighting, almost like flames.

"M-Midna?" Kid stuttered. How long had she been there?

"How much did you hear?" Tetra demanded, raising her voice to express her anger.

"Oh, a little of this, a little of that," Midna mused tapping her chin in thought, "and just about everything in between."

"Why are you here?" Tetra asked vehemently.

"Link sent me," Midna replied nonchalantly.

"I'm going to kill him," Tetra declared, standing up and clenching her fists at her sides in her rage.

"By the sounds of that dream someone already has it covered. Besides, Link didn't send me as a spy," Midna said, floating up into the air a few inches since she was apparently weary of standing.

"Then why did he send you?" Kid wondered.

"To make sure nothing happened to you guys. With Zant and his new affiliate on the loose, you never know what could happen, especially at night. You guys aren't even armed. If you were to be attacked now, you'd be helpless. That's why he sent me, to keep you safe. Think about it, if Link's intentions were to solely spy on you, then don't you think he would have come himself?"

"No," Tetra scoffed without a second thought.

Midna shrugged, "Alright, don't believe me, but that dream's a problem. We should sort it out."

"Oh yeah right. How are you going to solve it? Tell Link and the princess about it? Lot of good that's going to do," Tetra practically yelled, her displeasure prominent in her tone.

"No, I'm not going to tell Link and Zelda," Midna proclaimed in a level voice, flashing them a mischievous grin.

"Seriously?" Kid and Tetra asked simultaneously, shocked by this new piece of information.

"Well, yeah. As I said, I was only here to make sure you guys were protected. I wasn't really hear to do any spying. I just overheard some stuff which I'm deciding to keep to myself," Midna explained, "Now, Tetra, why don't you elaborate on that prophetic dream you had?"

They were both stunned into silence for a few moments. While Midna's vow of silence over this matter was comforting it was also disconcerting in a way. Why did she feel inclined to help them? They hadn't even known each other for a day. Tetra apparently felt the same way for she was hesitant to comply with Midna's request, analyzing it as if to weed out any falsity.

"The dream started off with me alone, walking down a dark hallway," Tetra finally spoke up and Kid listened intently along with Midna, "In the dream I somehow knew that we had all separated intentionally, but the purpose of it eluded me. I had a goal set in mind: Find everyone else. Eventually the long corridor I was walking down ended, and I was left to turn a corner. Once I did…" Tetra trailed off, biting her lip, evidently unwilling to voice the proceeding course of events.

"That's enough," Midna assured her once she'd stopped. Kid was surprised. He'd thought that she'd prompt Tetra to continue. "I think I've got a solution," Midna announced after a few brief seconds of quiet contemplation, "Since you said it was intentional then we won't separate. I'll help make sure of that, but make sure to take my side in it if the argument comes up. That way we'll outnumber Link and Zelda and we'll get majority rule. If we absolutely have to separate for whatever reason, then we'll split into two groups so no one will be alone."

Kid considered the idea. It could work. In fact, he  _hoped_  that it worked. If it didn't well…he didn't want to think about that. It had to work.

After seeming to scrutinize the plan for flaws in her head, Tetra nodded in agreement, "Yeah, I think that'll solve it."

"I hope it works," Kid chimed in.

"It will," Midna declared with more confidence than Kid had at the moment, "I don't know much about prophetic dreams, but I do know that they're just possible outcomes of one situation. If we take steps to stop the situation from occurring in the first place then we should be fine." Or their deliberately taking steps to avoid the event in the first place was just leading them closer to it. This thought nagged at the back of Kid's mind, but he chose to keep it there. He didn't want to get Tetra stressed out about the premonition all over again.

"So, what do you say? Should we head back? Are you good now Tetra?" Midna asked, drifting back in the direction of Ordon slightly.

"I'm okay now, I think," Tetra responded with a wink which let him know that she was okay. Now hopefully they could all get some sleep. Or at least Tetra could, he had a feeling that he might be too haunted at the moment to sleep with that single what-if thought plaguing his mind.

They abandoned the bridge and headed back the way they'd come, Midna stowing away in Tetra's shadow just like she had apparently done to him on the way out. Kid thought it strange that he hadn't even known she'd been there. At first, he hadn't known how to feel about their new acquaintance but that was no longer the case. Midna was sort of like them in a way. She wasn't in her normal realm, and didn't have a way back either.

When they returned not many words were exchanged. He and Tetra had simply confirmed that the problem was solved and then went to bed. Tetra was actually able to fall asleep before him. Kid tried not to think about his potential premature death. Just as sleep was beginning to pull him in he somehow managed to snatch pieces of whispered conversation out of the air.

"So?" Link's voice asked quietly.

"So, what?" Midna's voice returned.

"No trouble?"

"Nope."

"Is it really solved?"

"She's sleeping, isn't she?"

"…Yeah. What was the problem?"

"Don't know, I wasn't really listening…"

At this, Kid let a small smile grace his lips before letting the ever persistent sleep claim him.


	29. Silencing the Temple of Hylia

The sunlight danced through the window and straight into Tetra's eyes, arousing the young girl from her peaceful slumber. Attempting to cling to the thin threads of sleep that were rapidly slipping from her grasp, she shifted her position slightly so the rays of natural light were less irritating. This only brought her further out of sleep and she frowned, annoyed that the sun had interrupted her surprisingly dreamless sleep. Knowing that trying to return to her prior state of unconsciousness was futile, Tetra reluctantly allowed her dark blue eyes to flutter open.

The room that greeted her vision was fairly familiar by now, but it left her feeling disappointed. Part of her was hoping to see her own bedroom. Even a random beach would be fine, or adrift in the ocean somewhere as long as it was her ocean that waved back to her. Her watery kingdom. Her home.

She was jostled out of her thoughts by Link. "Morning Tetra," Link greeted her.

"Morning," Tetra replied, sitting up and stretching, "Is breakfast an option because I'm starved."

"Yeah, give me a second," Link answered a bit sheepishly, "Sorry, I should have woken you for dinner last night." Tetra shrugged it off. She was used to eating irregularly, although she admitted that that wasn't the best habit to have.

"Where's everyone else?" Tetra wondered, noticing the absence of her best friend and the princess.

"I'm here," Midna announced, popping out of Link's shadow and shooting her a toothy grin. She returned the greeting with a small wave.

"The others are outside feeding the horses. They left a few minutes ago so they should be back soon," Link added. Tetra was slightly surprised that Kid was up. He almost never woke up on his own. She hoped that she hadn't scared him too bad last night.

As she ate her breakfast while Link tidied up around his house she waited on the edge of her seat, expecting him to say something about last night and prophetic dreams. When she'd finished eating it became clear that Link wasn't going to say anything because he didn't know. Midna really had been telling the truth after all.

Tetra decided that she liked their new companion. She could trust Midna. The girl originated from a different realm entirely so the Triforce and royal family would mean nothing to her. There wouldn't be any way for her to figure out their origins if she tried, and besides that she was actually being somewhat friendly towards them. Midna was the one person that didn't pose any sort of threat, unintentional or otherwise, to them and Tetra decided that she liked it.

About half an hour later the foursome departed for Ordon Spring, each equipped with a potion just in case the temple proved troublesome. Midna remained at Link's house since she could not enter the temple and waiting for them outside in the light of day was not particularly alluring to her.

Ordon Spring was definitely the smallest spring out of them all. However, it was proving to be Tetra's favorite as a result of its simplicity. The light colored dirt covering the ground had a sand-like quality to it and she couldn't help but notice how shallow the spring was compared to the others. Three tall and narrow water falls cascaded down the moss covered rock wall at the rear of the spring.

Princess Zelda silently called on the spirit and light seeped into the miniscule cracks etched into the rocks strewn like decorations around the area. The golden light consumed the edges of the clear water and the liquefied gold spiraled toward the center of the spring in a brilliant swirl of light. The intensity of the shade of gold mellowed out to the point where it was not blinding to behold. A single drop splashed into the pool from out of seemingly nowhere and a ball of swirling light rose out of the shimmering display. This light spirit took its time revealing its full form, starting with its head and ending with its large tail. Once it was finished Tetra tried to distinguish what animal it was supposed to resemble. After a few seconds of scrutinizing it she concluded that it was supposed to be a goat, judging by its horns curving protectively around the sphere of light hovering just above its head.

"Time grows short," rumbled Ordona, "The enemy gains more strength the longer they're left to their own devices. With all haste complete the final trial so you may enter the last temple to retrieve Hylia's Tear. Step into the circle of blue light to enter the Silent Realm."

"Who is the enemy; do you know?" Princess Zelda questioned the great spirit at the same time that Tetra asked, "Who's Hylia?"

"Just like yourselves, I've no information regarding this new evil. However, we were warned by the goddess that once the riddle was given away, the state of the world would begin to decline fairly quickly. That is why you must make haste," Ordona replied, completely ignoring Tetra's inquiry.

"Who is Hylia?" Tetra demanded once again, her tone conveying her impatience at having to repeat herself. Ordona however, appeared to be done speaking to them for the light spirit faded along with the golden hue that had washed over the spring. A ring of blue petals unfolded to their right but Tetra couldn't care less about that. She wanted to know more about this Hylia person.

"Hylia…like Lake Hylia? Or the Great Bridge of Hylia?" Link mused, staring at the ground in thought.

"Or like Hylian. Is that where the name came from?" Kid wondered.

"Who cares? I want to know who this goddess is!" Tetra exclaimed, throwing her hands up in the air in exasperation, "Why wouldn't Ordona tell us? I asked twice!"

"Perhaps an explanation will take up time that could be better spent completing our task," Princess Zelda suggested, "We should do as Ordona says. We will not figure out the answer ourselves. Hopefully we will receive an answer later when time permits." They all nodded their agreement, Tetra somewhat more reluctantly than the others. The name Hylia sounded familiar, but she didn't know why. Sure, she'd heard the name before now, but that wasn't why it rang a bell which was causing her even more confusion. Where did she know it from? The answer was locked away somewhere in her mind. It was like a dream wanting to be remembered, but no matter how hard she tried she couldn't recall it. She found that the more she concentrated on figuring it out, the fuzzier the image became. She felt like she  _should_  know, but she didn't which was troubling her.

Forced to push her curiosity and frustration of words that she couldn't quite form to the back of her mind for the moment, Tetra stepped into the makeshift circle of light. Almost immediately a dizzy spell was cast over everyone's minds. She didn't even attempt to resist it. She simply allowed her eyes to close, knowing that the unwelcome feeling would fade quicker that way.

Once her mind stopped spinning in circles she dared to open her eyes. A familiar blue tint covered everything from the loose sand-like soil at their feet, to the expanse of sky that had previously been overcast with bits of sunlight poking through. Tetra noted the guardians that were in close proximity before darting out of the teal blossom of protection. The sacred tear was in her possession almost immediately. The guardians barely had any time to make a move against her before they were sent back to their previous frozen positions.

When she glanced back at her companions, Link was giving her a disapproving glare. She simply smirked and gave it no further attention. Tetra didn't understand Link sometimes. He seemed to think that he was the boss of her. He obviously wasn't though, she'd made that clear, or at least had attempted to, earlier.

Besides, he had no tangible reason to be cross with her since they'd already been through three of these trials before. They now knew how they worked, so it wasn't like she didn't know what she was getting herself, and ultimately her companions, into when she stepped out of the circle. The look of disapproval was the only thing that passed between them, as no words were exchanged. The group of four simply continued collecting tears, being sure to ignore some of the sacred tears for the trip back.

Ordon Village looked like an abandoned town, haunted by wandering Watchers and supervised by the sleeping sentries placed haphazardly around the area like forgotten game pieces. The Waking Water mostly kept to itself hidden in the natural water sources of Ordon. The ever vigilant Watchers posed more of a challenge and Tetra caught herself wandering closer to the outskirts of their beams of white lantern light more often than usual.

Most of the sacred tears were nestled inside the various homes of the village which were miraculously unlocked. Of course, danger lurked indoors as well, especially in the house with the waterwheel attached to it since, for whatever reason, the window was open and water would spray into the house every now and again, forcing them all to become more alert as even contact with the tiniest drop would alert the guardians of their presence.

Somehow they managed to collect all the tears in the waterwheel house without being touched. However, when they left the house they had all failed to realize that a Watcher was patrolling the area and Kid unknowingly stepped into its beam. The silence erupted into mayhem as the guardians were pulled out of their slumber to proceed with their only job: To shatter the spirits of trespassers.

The group of four evaded every attack thrown at them, and Tetra briefly contemplated how easy it really was to dodge their assailants. Because they were so large, it was impossible to miss them coming, and since the guardians' weapons were of impressive proportions as well, dodging a hit was as easy as ducking or jumping out of range of their blades. Eventually Tetra found a tear. Once it had settled into her spirit vessel the chaos was suppressed by the return of the blue silence.

The foursome progressed through the remainder of the realm with relative ease. Aside from a few bouts of rooftop jumping while trying to avoid Watchers, nothing posed much of a threat to them and the guardians were not reawakened. Returning to the fallen teal flower that was the trial gate turned out to be an easy feat since, like last time, they had neglected tears along the way. Once the last sacred tear was collected all they had to do was turn a corner and they were at Ordon Spring.

Not a second after everyone had gathered into the reappeared gate, their spirits vessels floated up out of their hands. Instead of bursting like they normally did, the vessels flew up above their heads, gathering at the center as if to converse. They burst suddenly in a shower of pristine white petals. Slowly a single item floated down from the air and they all put their hands out towards the middle to catch it. Before it reached their hands it stopped its descent and hovered just above their open palms. The item appeared to be a lyre. It was craftily made, the design complicated yet simple at the same time. Even in the strange blue light of the Silent Realm, this object was unaffected as it was a gleaming gold.

Tetra had no time to inspect the instrument any further for a dizzy spell decided that was its cue to take over. When she opened her eyes again, the morning sounds of the woods greeted her ears and her surroundings were now bursting with various colors.

"The object you hold is a gift from the goddess. It is called the Goddess's Harp. This instrument is magical, for certain objects will respond to its sound. Playing sacred songs will procreate various results. Little information was given to me about this particular gift, so I've no further information for you. However, I was told that the Goddess's Harp is a last resort," Ordona explained to them.

"Last resort?" Tetra repeated, "Last resort for what?"

"I do not know. I am only relaying the divine words as I heard them," Ordona replied, "Now, the entrance to the temple is open. It is at the back of my spring. Make haste to enter the Temple of Hylia, the goddess of the skies, sacrifice, protection, and devotion." With those words the light spirit faded and they were left to their own devices. The Goddess's Harp had long ago fallen, only to be saved from the unforgiving ground by their net of hands.

Princess Zelda suddenly gasped as if in recognition and pulled the harp closer to her, forcing the rest of them to release their grip on the instrument.

"What?" Link wanted to know, turning to the princess who was inspecting the golden lyre carefully.

"This instrument…it's just like the one we have at the castle," Princess Zelda announced, still scrutinizing the harp almost as if she was searching for something. She appeared to find what she was looking for and turned the lyre around so they could all see it too. "Look here," she ordered them pointing at a mark near the bottom of the instrument, "See this scratch?"

At their simultaneous nod of confirmation Princess Zelda continued, "This proves that it is the same one."

"How?" Tetra wondered.

"Well, I do not know much about the instrument aside from the fact that it has been passed down through my family for generations. Of course, I was never allowed more than a glimpse of it, but one day when I was little I became more curious than usual and snuck into the room it was being held in. I picked it up but, no sooner than was it in my hands, my nursemaid caught me. In fact, she startled me so much that I dropped the lyre and it got scratched in this exact spot," Princess Zelda explained, tapping the mark marring the smooth surface for emphasis.

"If it does belong to the royal family then why is it a gift from the goddess?" Link asked her.

"I am not positive, but since it seems that it will be used in our quest the goddess most likely gave it to us because she knew that I could not retrieve it myself if needed," Princess Zelda speculated.

"What goddess are we even talking about now?" Kid wondered, utterly confused. Tetra was about to answer him, but found that she had no clue either. Each light spirit referred to the gifts as objects that the goddess left for them, but which goddess they were actually speaking of was never clear. It could be that they were all speaking of the goddess that they were guarding the tear for but that couldn't be. Each spirit seemed to be speaking of the same goddess. Could it be Hylia, the ever mysterious goddess that they know nothing about? Or could it be that the spirits were referring to all the goddesses as a single entity and reduced the term to "the goddess" to make things easier?

No one else appeared to have a solid answer either, and they eventually decided to move on to the temple since standing around like statues wasn't getting them anywhere fast. The entrance, if it could be classified as such since it seemed to be no more than a narrow crack in the rock wall, was positioned at the rear of the spring close to the middle water fall. While the opening was not wide, they were able to wriggle their way through to the other side.

Once inside Tetra gasped at the sight before her. All of the previous temples had held a certain beauty that was their own. However, there was no arguing that those temples were old, and while preserved, they'd been falling into their own states of disrepair. This one appeared to be brand new. If she didn't know any better she would say that it was just finished yesterday. The ivory-colored ceramic floor tiles were shaped like rhombuses and fit perfectly into each other, each tile outlined in striking gold. The gold walls, which were bordered by white, widened out as she walked further in. Looking up, Tetra could clearly see a glass fixture placed over the ceiling revealing the cloud speckled late morning sky and allowing natural rays of sunlight to filter in.

Her attention returned to the ground and she noticed a pale purple and gold display of oddly shaped tiles in many different colors towards the middle. She hurried closer to have a look, knowing that her companions had the same idea as their footsteps echoed behind her. She reached the arrangement first and instantly knew that this was to be their map. Nestled inside an orb of lavender outlined in gold tiles was what appeared to be the royal crest. However, the gold splayed out wing design did not hold the Triforce at its center. Instead, the ancient relic was absent. The talon shapes near the bottom, that always made her envision a bird, were also missing.

"Is this the symbol of Hylia?" Tetra wondered aloud.

"Probably," Link answered her after inspecting it for a few seconds.

"It is similar to the royal crest…" Princess Zelda trailed off.

"Do you think Hylia has something to do with the royal family?" Kid asked, turning to the princess for her analysis of the evidence. This thought had never entered Tetra's mind until now. Could the forgotten goddess have relations with the royal family? While this news should have been interesting Tetra found it the exact opposite. She didn't want to know a lot about the family she was supposedly descended from. While she should be curious, she wasn't. Any more surprises and she feared she'd go insane. She could barely cope with the thought of being a princess and, ultimately, a completely different person.

It seems likely, yes," Princess Zelda mused, "but what kind of connections the goddess Hylia shared, or shares, with my family…I've no idea. She was never mentioned before."

"Why does it even matter?" Tetra said, nonchalantly attempting to change the subject, "Let's just keep going."

"Tetra, you were curious earlier. Where did that go?" Link wondered, quirking an eyebrow in question.

"I'm still curious," Tetra assured him, "but we're obviously not getting answers, are we? Someone'll probably explain it later, or maybe the temple will explain Hylia's story." She barely believed what she said. After all, going through the temple would most likely make everything more confusing, but part of her hoped that it wouldn't; that there'd be some solid answers as to who the goddess was or had been.

The foursome progressed to the back of the room that Tetra thought almost resembled an upside down teardrop. They were stopped by large bright red double doors, with swirling golden accents serving as the border. There were no handles. Instead a golden harp was painted in a fastidious manner in the center. They first tried to push the doors open, but when that failed it was painfully clear what had to be done.

Princess Zelda produced the Goddess's Harp from where she had stored it and regarded it with a hint of doubt as she did not have any knowledge as to how to go about playing it.

"I think you have to touch the strings to make a sound," Link advised her.

"Thank you, Link. What would I do without you?" Princess Zelda nodded to him, sarcasm heavy in her tone.

"Absolutely nothing, Princess," Link replied with a mock bow. Princess Zelda used the underside of the harp to hit him on the top of his head while he was still in his fake bowing position.

"Ow…" Link whined, rubbing the spot she had struck him, "Okay, I was asking for that one."

"You may want to reflect on your words before you spit them out," Princess Zelda agreed with him, positioning the lyre, so she could play it.

"You might not want to hit people with sacred instruments," Link muttered under his breath. It was so quiet that Tetra was only able to hear because she was standing right next to him. Unfortunately so was the princess, but instead of hitting him again, she just shot him a glare that clearly said, "Shut up." This silenced him immediately and they all waited expectantly for Zelda to bring the harp to life.

A bit hesitantly the princess graced her fingers over four of the strings, producing a pleasant sound despite her lack of expertise. She strummed a few more times before the door started to react. The golden designs glowed with a bright light and the grand red doors began to open inwards. The doors needed no further prompting and operated solely on the echo of the lyre's sound.

Once the doors opened all the way, Princess Zelda replaced the harp and they all walked further inside the temple. A deep red painted the walls, lined with gold. The floors looked the same aside from the symbol in the middle. It was not made up of tiles. Instead, it was a different type of material all on its own, possibly metal. Pale purple in color, the new piece of interest reminded Tetra of a gear. If that's what it was, then it was a fairly large gear as it took up much of the floor. She also noticed that different symbols were etched into its shiny surface. Instantly, she recognized the marks of the three golden goddesses surrounding the symbol of the Triforce in the center.

"It looks like pieces are missing," Kid noted pointing to the outer edges of the display. The more Tetra stared at it she realized that her friend was correct. There were a total of twelve square shaped blocks jutting out from the circle, which caused it to give off the impression of a gear. Four of them blended in with the pale purple of the rest of the symbol while the remainder were holes which could clearly be peered into to discover complicated zigzag designs inside, waiting to be filled in by their match.

"We need to find eight pieces then," Link concluded after counting the empty sockets to make sure he had the number right. Tetra tore her eyes away from the uncompleted symbol and looked around the room. The room was shaped vaguely like a diamond with its bottom half missing. Rich red walls continued diagonally to either side and met at a point ahead of them. On both sides were doorways which lacked doors. She pointed them out to the others and they all made their way to leftmost one.

They stood in the doorway since the elegant floor dropped off into nothingness. The floor continued some distance away yet the edge was not jagged. It was cut cleanly and deliberately. The gap was too wide to simply jump across, but a white platform was placed in the middle which was accessible from both sides with a small leap. The platform was somehow suspended in the air over the blackness, possibly made to resemble a cloud. The material it was made out of was unclear, as it did not look like tile, stone, brick, or anything else she recognized that floors were generally constructed of.

Kid didn't seem to be fazed by the strange appearance of the platform and jumped onto it. Upon landing he was launched high into the air with a surprised cry that quickly turned into a laugh as he nearly touched the glass ceiling. Tetra had to lean out of the doorway a little to keep him in sight. He was pulled down by natural forces and when he touched the platform again he was bounced back up to towards the sky. Kid didn't go nearly as high this time yet decided to do a flip in the air anyway, causing Tetra to roll her eyes. When he landed he bent his knees to absorb the shock and came to a complete stop. Kid pouted, visibly disappointed that he wasn't bounced into the air again.

"Hurry up and jump to the other side, it's my turn," Tetra ordered him pointing at the other section of white and gold tiled floor. Kid, if a bit reluctantly, obeyed. Tetra then leaped over to the resilient platform. Even though she was expecting it, the sudden lack of ground beneath her feet startled her a bit. Being slightly lighter than Kid, she was bounced higher and as a result was able to brush her fingers along the cool glass of the ceiling before she began to descend. As she was presented to the sky a second time she noticed the appeal it had on Kid previously and why he hadn't wanted to stop. Up in the air she was presented with a sensation that, she imagined, was almost identical to flying. Still, she knew that she couldn't do this forever and performed a backflip. Her landing stopped her from taking to the air again and she turned towards where Kid was. She joined him on the other side and they both focused their attention to their companions. Link and the princess soon followed. They weren't launched quite as high as Tetra and Kid had been and had caught on as to how to stop and did so without the fancy aerial tricks that their younger counterparts had used.

The new section they had gained access to was a long curved hallway of red walls trimmed with a gold border. Along the left hand wall were arched doors placed at intervals. Looking further down the corridor Tetra counted exactly four golden doors. Most likely, a missing piece was behind each one.

They decided to enter the arched door that was closest to them. Link opened it by turning the handle that was provided and they all filed inside. The floor tiles remained white but the golden outlines turned aqua and the walls were painted a royal blue. The room was more or less a small rectangle. Looking around, Tetra noted that there wasn't really anything in the room. The back wall seemed to be the only place of interest and so they all wandered in that direction, cautious of their surroundings.

When they reached the back wall they could clearly see that there were small padded cases with depressions in them coming out of the wall. It looked as if something specific had to be placed in them. Princess Zelda seemed to notice something they hadn't and removed her water dragon scale necklace then stepped forward and arranged it so that it fit perfectly into the soft depression in one of the cases. Link did the same, followed reluctantly by Kid. Tetra removed hers with extra care since she had it concealed under her bandana with the fragment of the Triforce of Wisdom. Fortunately, the two necklaces hadn't tangled and she managed to remove the dragon scale necklace without an issue. She fit the pulsing blue scale into the last case. Immediately after she had done so the cases all simultaneously retreated forcing Tetra to jerk her hands away so it wouldn't snap shut on her fingers. A click met their ears and a different case slid out of the wall a little way above their heads. It was larger than the others had been so it clearly held something of importance. Tetra was too short to see what it was though. Princess Zelda, being the tallest of the group, reached up and retrieved whatever it was that had been presented to them.

The object that the princess now held was one of the missing pieces. A strange linear symbol was painted on its square face while the rest of it was a rectangular prism with blocky cut outs.

"Well, that was easy," Kid declared. They all took another look around the room, searching for something to contradict that statement. However, there was nothing. The golden door was just as they'd left it, slightly ajar, and no monsters spontaneously appeared to defy them. The foursome then left the room with their prize. Tetra was a little disappointed that they had to give up the necklaces, but she supposed that just as they could be given, the gifts could also be taken away.

The next room was much like the first, except slightly bigger and with a fiery red and orange color scheme. They were forced to give their Ash-Fire Rings in exchange for the next missing block of the puzzle. The following room wasn't quite as basic though. It was about as big as the previous room and the floors were the same as the floors in the hallway, as were the walls. At the back of the room was a large rat about the size of a cat, made of gold affixed to the wall as if it was climbing down it. The rat's mouth was open wide, and one of its front paws was frozen in the air expectantly.

"Feed the animal of greed half of what it thinks it needs," Link recited from a sign to the right of the statue.

"So...rupees?" Kid wondered.

"Probably, but how much is the question," Link replied, silently reading over the Hylian script on the sign.

"Half of a whole maybe?" Princess Zelda suggested.

"Half of one rupee? That's not even possible," Tetra pointed out.

"Maybe it's half of ten rupees," Kid proposed, "So we give it five."

"But I wouldn't classify wanting ten rupees as greedy," Link countered.

"One hundred perhaps?" Princess Zelda said. They all seemed to agree on this amount. Tetra dug into her wallet and produced the fifty rupees she had conveniently happened upon in Link's house roughly one week ago. Since the statue of the rat was too high for any of them to reach Tetra threw the rupee into the mouth of the rodent. The rat's jaws snapped shut instantly, trapping the fifty rupees in its mouth. A pale purple block was pushed out of the wall and Kid retrieved it.

"You didn't have to use your rupees, I would have done it," Link informed her.

Tetra smirked, "Oh don't worry, Link, you did. Those weren't my rupees; they were yours."

"What?" Link asked, confused.

"You're so oblivious, you know that?" Tetra rolled her eyes.

"You stole that from me!" Link accused her.

"You should really invest in some locks," Tetra advised him, verifying the validity of the accusation with a nonchalant shrug and turning to leave the room.

"Why the heck would you steal from me?" Link questioned, following her with the others close behind.

' _Because I'm a pirate,'_  is what she wanted to say. However, she knew that saying so could be dangerous. Pirates were native to the sea. If she suddenly declared she was one they'd become confused and then she'd have to continue her explanation which wouldn't end well. Instead, she simply declared, "Why should it matter? By what you said a minute ago, it seems that you would have lost fifty rupees either way."

"That's not the point," Link argued.

"Look, I took it in the span of the first couple days we knew each other. It's not like I'd take anything from you now, so drop it," Tetra ordered him as they left the room and stepped back into the hallway. Link, however, refused to "drop it" as she insisted which resulted in them arguing all the way to the next room. What lay behind the last golden door in the hall silenced their quarrel immediately.

The room laid out before them was not much wider than the others, but it was noticeably longer. The tiled floor was a pure white. The walls were painted black, and a silver border completed the look. A few feet beyond the entrance the floor continued normally before dropping off. Venturing closer to the edge Tetra found that there was actually a bottom but dropping down wouldn't be preferable since there didn't seem to be any means of getting back up. There were curious looking tiles interrupting the dirt in the pit at regular intervals, sort of a like a checkerboard. She was sure that they were significant in some way.

Kid had noticed a tile in the floor that was different from the others and called everyone's attention to it. Instead of white it was a shining silver speckled with black. Kid stepped on it in experimentation and the room briefly rumbled. They focused their attention back on the gap taking up most of the room. The tiles that had caught her attention before were now risen up to floor level.

Tetra's eyes quickly scanned the area. The gap was riddled with tiles. As the length of the room continued the tiles climbed a step or two higher, finally ending level where the other section of solid floor was situated at the back of the room. Kid stepped off of the button and it miraculously stayed down. She waited to hear some type of timer start ticking. Upon hearing none she approached the edge and jumped onto the tile in front of her.

She felt the tile sink down a little under her weight and all of the tiles began to descend. She let out a surprised cry. She would have fallen to the bottom of the pit if Kid hadn't grabbed her hand. He helped her up and Tetra noticed that the silver tile that had been pressed into the floor had returned to its original position. As soon as Link stepped on it again, the tiles rose just as they had the first time. This time Link offered to try and jumped over to a different tile. This yielded the same result as last time, however Link was a tad less fortunate and wasn't able to get back to solid ground in time before the platforms lowered themselves to the ground. Fortunately he was able to clawshot his way up because there were some vines hanging conveniently off the edge of the floor that Tetra had failed to notice before.

"I think there's a certain path we have to follow," Princess Zelda announced.

"How do we know where the path is?" Kid wanted to know.

"We don't. We will have to find it by trial and error," Princess Zelda replied.

Tetra counted the rows of tiles between the gap and their destination. There were eight. She quickly calculated how many tiles were in each row. Since the room's width grew the further the room went the least amount of tiles in a single row was twelve. The most was twenty.

"This is going to take forever," Tetra blatantly informed her companions. They agreed, but there was little they could do about it. Another missing piece of the puzzle was at the end of the room, that they could be sure of. It took a little over ten minutes to locate their first step which frustrated Tetra greatly. Kid had been the one to find the first correct tile and, knowing that the next step could be futile in their mission, the others took great care advising him on which step to take next. They had agreed that the path probably wasn't linear and so advised him to jump onto the one to the right of him. As soon as he did so the tiles fell and they all sighed heavily. Kid's hookshot was useless with vines, and so he positioned himself on the one tile they knew to be correct and waited for one of them to raise the tiles again.

The further they progressed, the more frustrating the puzzle became and the more devastating was the loss of a wrong move. This prompted more and more curses to be uttered, for the most part quietly, under Tetra's breath, most of which her companions heard but chose not to comment on. When Tetra had reached the fourth row and made a poor guess as to where the path continued she accidentally screamed a pirate profanity at the top of her lungs in exasperation.

"Tetra!" Kid exclaimed, aghast. Having been an unofficial crew member aboard her pirate ship for months on end, he'd been educated, mostly by Niko, about pirate phrases and choice words so he knew exactly what the words she uttered translated to, "It's not that bad, calm down."

"What does it mean?" Link wondered, obviously confused.

"You don't want to know. Just raise the stupid tiles," Tetra demanded, positioning herself on the tile in the fourth row that she knew to be safe.

"Did you make it up?" Link pressed as he did what she asked.

"No," she snapped in annoyance.

After what must have been an hour or two the foursome finally reached the end of the room. Four silver tiles were placed in the middle. They all stepped on one and were rewarded with another strangely shaped block of the puzzle they were attempting to solve. More than happy to leave the time consuming room they all hurried to the exit, thankfully able to remember the correct path.

They backtracked to the main room and then took the other doorway. They were forced to jump across by similar means to the next hallway which was a perfect mirror of the other one. They opened the first room to their right and were delivered into a room with a green color scheme. It was here that they abandoned their compasses for yet another piece.

When they reached the following room Tetra tried to open it only to find that it was locked. She pulled on the handle to make sure, but it didn't budge. Kid tried it for good measure after her, but even he couldn't force it open which was strange since there was no key hole.

Shrugging it off, they moved on, pledging to try it again later. The next room was the most interesting by far. They didn't dare venture farther than a few steps in for the rest of the room was covered in a strange mist-like fog.

"Be wary all who enter. Everything that breathes inside the cloud will wither," Princess Zelda read off of a stone sign that stood in front of them.

"So the fog is poisonous, that's fun," Link said sarcastically.

"I'll go," Tetra volunteered. By no means was she seeking a thrill by playing with death, but she did know that she could hold her breath for an impressive amount of time. It was one of the benefits of living on a sea all her life as a pirate.

"No way," Link refused, "I'm going. You're staying here."

Link was really testing her nerves when he uttered such things. Treating her like a child, something she was obviously not, only resulted in her becoming more stubborn.

"I  _am_  going," Tetra declared with certainty, crossing her arms in defiance and glaring at him.

"Why don't you guys just have a breath-holding competition right now and whoever wins goes?" Kid suggested, interrupting their stare down with each other. They both agreed and it was no surprise to Tetra when Link had to take a breath after barely a minute had passed. She stopped holding her breath as soon as he lost and stated, "As I said before, I'm going."

After she regained the breath she had lost in their little competition, she walked into the mist. It was fairly easy to see through but she noticed the change in the air as soon as she stepped into it. The fog caused the air to grow heavier than normal and cold fingers of mist wrapped around her bare arms and legs, chilling them. She hadn't anticipated the sudden change in temperature but forced herself to imagine that it was freezing ocean water that was surrounding her instead of poisonous fog and the pressure she was feeling was that of the waves pushing her deeper. She did notice as she continued that the air pressure seemed to grow.

Her lungs did not scream for fresh air just yet but she knew that they would in time. With all the fog surrounding her, it was impossible to judge the distance that she had to go before she reached her prize. She didn't dare break into a run, knowing that doing so would only shorten her supply of air. She needed to keep herself calm or she wouldn't be able to last. When her lungs began to constrict and she still wasn't at the end of the room she struggled to maintain her composure. What if she wasn't even halfway there? What if she'd unknowingly wandered in the wrong direction? That was impossible though. She'd been walking straight the entire time, hadn't she? Just as she began to doubt herself she noticed an object up ahead. Once she reached it she could distinguish it as a glass table. On it were two things. The pale purple piece that she'd came for and a vase of flowers. They were all drooping out of the container completely blackened, although she imagined that they were once colorful as she had never seen a completely black flower before. The petals were frail and at a single touch they flitted down to the table. She then noticed hylian script etched into the pale ceramic of the vase. While she could not distinguish what it said she still got the overall message. The sign in the beginning was not a hoax. The fog could and will kill anything that relies on it for oxygen.

Tetra swiftly grabbed the block with its strange cut outs and unique marking. It wasn't quite heavy enough to require the use of two hands to carry it, but she did so anyway in an attempt to keep herself balanced. She knew that her breath was escaping her despite her best efforts to hold it inside. As she made her way back to the others her air supply diminished and her head grew lighter even though the pressure in the room was so heavy. Her skin was colder than it'd been before and she was sure that if she were to breathe out she'd be able to produce frost.

However, she had no interest in pursuing the theory and kept her mouth firmly closed, struggling to resist the urge to breathe in through her nose. Finally she could see the shapes of her companions through the shifting mist and broke into a run. All she had to do was hold her breath for a few more short seconds. Unfortunately the lack of oxygen to her brain was making her dizzy and she soon slowed to barely a walk, fearing she'd fall over if she continued at a fast pace. After what felt like forever she emerged from the fog, yet a heaviness still tried to push her down and she soon realized that tendrils of fog clung to her. She shook the wisps away and the heavy feeling dissipated into the air with the mist.

Tetra then allowed her mouth to open and gasped for air.

"Are you okay? You didn't breathe any in did you?" Link questioned her in concern.

She breathlessly shook her head in response to his latter inquiry, still trying to regain her breath without passing out. The sheet of cold had slipped off of her as soon as she'd stepped out of the fog for which she was grateful. Once she'd recovered enough to speak she confessed, "That was a little more challenging than I'd thought it'd be."

"Why? Did you have to fight something in there?" Kid wondered, tilting his head to the side in curiosity.

"No, it was freezing cold and the air was heavy which made everything more difficult," Tetra explained, "but it doesn't matter now 'cause it's over and I never have to do anything like that again. Let's go to the next room."

Just as she'd requested, they left the room filled with poisonous fog that dutifully stayed in the place it was meant to. The next room that they stepped into was not much better than the last. Except for a tiny section that was barely large enough for them all to squeeze onto together, the entire room was covered in sand. A rounded stone had writing scratched into it. Unfortunately Link and the princess chose to read it silently to themselves, so Kid and Tetra were left in the dark. Kid shot her a helpless look as he could not understand the lines and curves that were supposed to hold meaning. She returned the look, although it was more of one bred from annoyance, seeing as she had no way of deciphering a single letter either, so she really couldn't help him.

"So what-" Tetra began to ask, but she was cut off sharply by Link who shushed her. She tried again and got the same response except this time the princess joined in. For reasons she could not discern, they were required to be silent in this new room. It was the longest room in the hall and from what she could tell the object they had come for was at the very back. Link motioned for them all to follow him as he stepped onto the sand, taking care to step lightly. The princess followed his example and Kid and Tetra did likewise, although they had no clue as to why they were trying so hard to be furtive.

The sand shifted slightly under her feet but didn't give or hold her in place like she'd been half expecting it to. While she was curious about the exact reason for her elder companions' peculiar behavior she refrained from inquiring about it. After all, she was supposed to be literate, and she was, just not in Ancient Hylian. Asking about what the sign had said would provoke questions that she'd rather not answer. While she didn't have any qualms with lying, she preferred to avoid doing so as much as possible since her companions were no doubt suspicious of them and piling lies on top of that wouldn't help their case much.

They crossed the small sea of sand in a tedious manner. When they finally reached the end it took them about ten minutes just to pull out the lavender block from the wall since every time they moved it, it was compelled to make a noise which, in the overwhelmingly silent room, sounded like a loud clap of thunder. Making their way back to the entrance wasn't much better. It was in no way fast and Tetra swore that they moved slower.

When they finally emerged from the room, they decided to attempt to enter the room that had been sealed shut before. To their amazement, the handle turned easily, and they had instant access to the last room. The foursome stepped inside and hurried to the back of a room where a treasure chest waited. Link opened it and they acquired the final piece of the puzzle. They then hurried back to the main room, and Link spread out all eight hard earned pieces on the floor.

Piecing everything together should have been easy, but they were quickly finding that it was not. Each rectangular prism was cut differently and the symbols of nonsense painted on them didn't give any indication as to where they were supposed to be placed. On top of that inconsistency, each had to be turned to fit perfectly, much like a puzzle, into a hole with opposite cutouts. Most of the time they couldn't tell whether they were trying to put a block in the wrong place or if they simply didn't have it positioned correctly.

After twenty agonizing minutes they finally managed to get all but one to fit into the strange symbol. Tetra picked up the last block and carefully adjusted it over the last opening until she felt that she'd matched the cut outs correctly. She then lowered it and pushed it down into place. Immediately after she did so the completed gear-like symbol glowed with a pulsing luminescent purple and blue. They all distanced themselves from it, wary of the otherworldly reaction to being whole. The symbols etched into its face lit up with a teal light and the gear began to turn, its symbols pulsing every now and then, fading in and out of view.

"That's it?" Link spoke up, a hint of disappointment in his voice. Tetra was disappointed too. They did all that work to see a gear start to turn? A glance at her surroundings told her that the room hadn't budged an inch. Nothing had resituated itself in the short amount of time that they'd been intrigued by the symbol's show so what was the purpose?

"Maybe it's a door to where the guardian is," Kid speculated after a second or two of uncomfortable silence, "The pieces we found were the keys, and now we have to open it."

"How?" Tetra wanted to know, noting the lack of anything resembling a handle or even a seam indicating a door.

"Uh…touch it, maybe?" suggested Kid, with a hint of doubt.

Tetra shrugged, figuring it was worth a shot. She cautiously approached what she now presumed to be not a gear but a door and crouched down. She reached her arm out and hovered her hand over the ever turning gear. After a brief bout of hesitation she tapped the smooth surface and was shocked as the place she had touched seemed to liquefy and spread out like a ripple in a calm pool. That wasn't the only reaction that occurred as a result. She felt a small pulsing against her chest, gradually growing stronger the longer she remained in contact with the door. She stood up with a gasp, putting a hand to her chest and taking a few steps back in an attempt to stifle the reaction that the Triforce of Wisdom seemed to be having. A faint golden glow flickered beneath the bright crimson of her bandana and she lifted her head expecting her companions to be staring at her in shock and confusion. To her surprise, and relief, they were preoccupied with their own hands. She could plainly see the Triforce of Wisdom standing out against the princess's bare skin and Link's Triforce of Courage was shining through his glove. Kid was trying, much like her, to hide his Triforce piece, clasping both of his hands behind his back and covering the triangle symbol on his left hand with his right.

They needn't have worried so much about concealing their secret though since the reaction lasted scarcely for a minute, and their companions paid no attention to them in that time. Directing their attention back to the door, they found that it was wide open, the narrow steps leading down, much like a spiral staircase into darkness were all gear like and colored an ominous shade of black, edged with teal. They turned with the outer ring of the door, but this did not appear to stop the steps from being useful, as their positions never truly changed.

Link produced his lantern and lit it so they'd be able to see even when the natural light coming from the ceiling failed to penetrate the ink spill before them. After glancing at each other as if to silently affirm that they were ready for whatever lay below, the foursome began to descend into the darkness. All the while Tetra listened to the rhythmic ticking sound that seemed to fill the circular chamber, almost like it was counting down. She amused herself with the idea as they climbed down the steps. In their current situation, she knew that they were in a rush. Not only did they have to get home, but they also had to deal with this new evil that was intent on capturing her for whatever reason. It was as if the gear-like door was calmly counting down the moments they had left before everything turned to ruin… _Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock._


	30. Wormhole

The deeper they descended, the more they came to rely on Link's lantern and the softly glowing teal runes on each gear-like step to illuminate their winding path. A few steps later the natural light pouring in above their heads was abruptly cut off. The foursome stopped their descent and peered upwards to identify the culprit, be it a passing cloud or some unknown foe. It turned out to be neither. The door had silently shut of its own accord, sealing off their main light supply. While this incident shouldn't have registered as particularly alarming in their minds, it did, for some reason, in Link's. If the strange staircase really led to the guardian's chamber then it made sense for the door to close since it had done so for every other guardian, but for some reason the closing of  _this_  door unnerved him.

They continued their descent, Link shrugging off the ominous feeling as his own paranoia. The orange light flickered in a small pool around the small group as they walked. The steady ticking sound persisted in their ears and Link chose to focus on the echoes their own footsteps made instead since the other sound was beginning to irritate him. A few seconds later a new sound greeted his ears. It was a low rumble that gradually grew in intensity. They all came to a halt for a second time, wary of the unknown noise that seemed so out of place. Suddenly it became more than a mere noise as the entire chamber they were climbing down shook. They all fought for their balance on the narrow steps while the ground they were standing on vibrated and the walls continued to shift, unaffected.

Just when Link thought that the quake was settling down, an even larger tremor rumbled through the cylindrical chamber. This made it even worse as everything seemed to tip to one side. Fortunately, the strangely smooth wall of black was there to support them, so they didn't have to worry about losing their balance. Barely thirty seconds later, the passage tipped the other way which caught them all off guard. Link slid dangerously close to the edge of the steps where a normal spiral staircase would have a guardrail to prevent people from tumbling over the side to their deaths.

Zelda let out a gasp of terror as she completely lost her balance and was about to fall off of the staircase. Link quickly grabbed her hand, and pulled her back as best as he could since he was losing his balance as well. Beside him, Kid and Tetra were holding onto each other, trying to maintain their balance by using each other for support. When the room tipped in the opposite direction once again they all fell against the wall, grateful that it was there to catch them.

The chamber then began to writhe as if it was alive, swiftly tilting one way and then the next so fast that they didn't have any time to find their balance, much less maintain it. With one final, forceful tremor they were all launched over the edge of the still shifting stairs and into the blackness in between. Link tried to grab onto the pieces protruding from the passing stairs which were the closest savior. However, his speed, coupled with the routine movement of the stairs, made this attempt impossible. All too soon the ground rushed up to meet them.

Link righted himself and prepared for the landing, planning to roll forward in an attempt to spare himself some damage. Just as they were about to hit the ground the chamber tilted once again and they all ended up falling a relatively short distance before slamming into the wall. The chamber righted itself and they all fell to the floor, disoriented but unharmed.

Unfortunately they had little time to get their bearings for the floor, which was a large black gear similar to the previous door, began to glow with a white light in three different spots. From these circles of light three bulky forms materialized. Only when the light faded could Link discern exactly what they were. Three Darknuts stood firm on the other side of the room. The one in the middle was donned in coal black armor, almost resembling a knight. Two additional Darknuts flanked its sides. However, these were a bit different than the traditional Darknuts he was accustomed to seeing. Their chests and shoulders were quite broad, even underneath their red and gold armor; their headgear was shaped less like a helmet and more like some sort of mask in Link's opinion, and they held up swords in front of them with a thick shining silver blade and a circular shield to match their colorful attire. They both also wore billowing capes like it was some sort of fashion statement which Link didn't understand. Wouldn't capes be a hindrance in battle?

By some miracle the monsters had not yet noticed their presence.

"What the heck is going on? They're just monsters. Where's the guardian?" Tetra wondered, keeping her voice low so as to not disturb the enemies on the other side of the room.

"I don't know, but this is definitely strange. Opening a weird door like that would have to lead to the guardian," Link replied quietly.

"Maybe it's a mini boss?" Kid suggested. Link shrugged. He supposed that could be it, but why? They hadn't had to fight any mini bosses before.

"Whatever it is, we should engage it in combat. Goddesses only knows when this place starts to move around again. Even though there's no danger of falling, battling will be increasingly more difficult on uneven ground," Zelda pointed out.

Link nodded his agreement and quickly formulated a battle strategy. There were three Darknuts. Alone, one was dangerous. Two were deadly. Three, you might as well start digging your own grave. However, they had numbers on their side as there were four of them. He didn't know the power level of the two unfamiliar Darknuts, but he figured that since there were two of them, their amount of power overall would equal that of the traditional Darknut that stood in the middle.

"Alright, Zelda, Tetra, you two take the one on the left. Kid take the one on the right. I'll take the one in the middle," Link announced, attaching his lantern, which had miraculously survived the fall, to his belt and drawing his sword and shield. Kid drew his weapon as well and Link hoped that he hadn't misjudged Kid's skill. He could take a Darknut on by himself, right? If Kid had any qualms with it, he didn't voice them. In fact, he looked more ready than Link felt. The princess unsheathed the sword at her hip and Tetra her dagger.

Simultaneously they all moved forward and charged the monsters to which they were designated. The black knight turned around upon noticing Link, who was smart to keep his distance as the Darknut took two powerful swipes in the air, possibly in an attempt to deter him. Link didn't back down. He twirled his sword in his left hand to taunt the monster. It worked like a charm, and the Darknut brought its already raised sword down with one swift movement. Link leapt to the side, barely managing to dodge the strike and thrust his blade forward. The direct hit caused the humanoid creature to stumble back a couple steps, shedding a piece or two of armor as it did so. It quickly recovered though and Link back flipped out of range of its next slice.

Link backed up, luring the Darknut away from the others to give them space to fight their own battles. Out of the corner of his eye Link witnessed Kid effortlessly perform the helm splitter on the monster he was dueling, instantly relieving it of its helmet. This gave Link an idea and he returned his attention to his own battle. He nimbly leapt out of the way of another one of the Darknut's hefty vertical slices and executed another jump attack. Once he landed, he used a shield bash to keep it off balance and performed the helm splitter. The Darknut's helmet clanged to the ground, but Link paid it no mind. He wasn't finished just yet. Link attempted a jump attack. Big mistake. The Darknut whirled around faster than any normal person could when weighed down by armor. Its round shield slammed into his stomach, emptying his lungs of necessary air and sending him flying into the wall.

Link dropped to his hands and knees, fighting to regain his breath, barely feeling the throbbing in his stomach. He was fortunate that it had been the shield and not the sword that struck him. Had it been the blade, he feared that he'd be dead. The clanking of armor alerted him to the approaching threat yet he couldn't bring himself to rise as he was still struggling to get a decent breath.

The Darknut's black boots came into his view, which was directed at the floor. Link cringed, waiting for the blade to descend and pain to explode across his exposed back. Link looked up at his assailant and watched, almost as if in slow motion, as the Darknut's large sword began to come down towards him. A blur of green and a giant gleaming blade of steel slammed into the Darknut and the creature was knocked completely off its feet and away from Link. Link then stared up in disbelief at Kid who was standing with his back to him, his own sword and shield on his back, gripping the colossal sword that once belonged to the Darknut that he'd been fighting in his hands. Link guessed that it was now dead as, at a quick glance around the arena, he only counted two enemies.

' _Where in all the land of Hyrule does Kid come from?'_  Link silently wondered in awe as he took deep breaths to provide his lungs with oxygen,  _'His strength is astounding!'_ Link watched as the Darknut recovered and marched towards them, anger burning bright in its eyes. Kid rushed to meet it, clashing the huge sword of his fallen enemy with the Darknut's own broadsword. The monster continued to try to bring down its sword anyway, but Kid wouldn't relent. He pushed back, but it seemed that the strength of his power bracelets was limited. Upon realizing that he had no chance of winning Kid let go of the monstrous blade, ducking and rolling out of the way and drawing his own sword and reflective shield as he did so.

The Darknut only had eyes for its new opponent, and Kid wasn't one to disappoint. He was incredibly fast and made maneuvering around to the rear of his lethal foe look like child's play. Kid landed a few decent hits on the Darknut before it managed to turn around. Kid leapt out of the way of its next slice and thrust forward with his smaller blade. The Darknut easily blocked the attack with its shield and Kid back flipped away as it took a few swipes in an attempt to strike him. This dangerous dance continued for the next few minutes, the ground becoming more and more littered with the glittering black armor of the Darknut.

The battle had carried over closer to Link who had almost fully recovered by now. Gripping his sword tighter in his left hand, Link got to his feet, ready to help finish off the Darknut. However, another direct hit from Kid and the Darknut shed the last of its armor. Kid watched it warily as it took an agile leap back, sensing that it was different from his previous foe. Of all the things he expected it to do, Kid did not expect it to throw its treasured sword directly at him like a boomerang.

Kid stood frozen to the spot, alarmed by the fast approaching weapon spiraling towards his face, but at the same time unable to move. Link ran towards his younger companion, barely thinking as he jumped in front of Kid, fully prepared to take the hit head on. Then a peculiar thing happened. Time stopped. It didn't slow down as it seemed to in particularly crucial seconds of life. It didn't speed up either. It just stopped. Dead. In its tracks. The ticking sound that had been filling the room before the battle noises had drowned it out was absent.

The sword was suspended in the air still on its deadly course towards them. The Darknut was still in the process of unsheathing its other sword. Link glanced back at Kid who blinked back at him in confusion.

"You're seeing this too, right?" Link checked, arching an eyebrow and wondering if he was already dead or just plain crazy.

Kid nodded numbly too shocked to say a word. Neither of them dared move, afraid that the world would leap into action and they'd be killed. Keeping an eye on the unmoving yet advancing blade, Link reached behind him and held onto Kid's wrist. Then, with one swift movement. He leapt to the side, pulling Kid with him. Instantly the spell was broken and the airborne blade whizzed past them with inches to spare.

"I don't get it," Kid stated.

"Me neither," Link admitted and then he turned his attention back to the Darknut. He was just in time as the enemy had every intent to cleave him in two and brought down its sword. Link blocked it with his shield, stumbling back from the force of the blow, but luckily Kid was back in action and engaged the now stealthy Darknut in combat while Link regained his footing. Battling the Darknut was much easier with two people. However, it was by no means less precarious. They both had to be on guard at all times since their enemy housed crafty methods of battling them both in unison. After a few minutes the monster fell down in a heap on the floor and disappeared in a puff of white smoke. They had both gotten out of the skirmish unscathed.

"Took you long enough," Tetra spoke up in a bored tone as Link and Kid sheathed their weapons.

"I didn't see you helping," Link shot back at her.

Before Tetra could reply with one of her no doubt witty comments the entire floor lit up with the same white light that had spawned the Darknuts. No monsters appeared. Instead the floor  _disappeared_ , revealing that the strange staircase of gears continued. Luckily none of them had been standing in the middle and they all landed on a stair. Quickly getting to their feet they made haste down the staircase, hugging the wall in case the chamber decided to come alive again. Mere seconds later it decided to do exactly that.

This time they survived the tremors, which were slightly milder in nature than the precious ones, without being thrown off. Once they reached the bottom of the stairs they were presented with a room identical to the last. This time, only two columns of white light appeared. Two monsters literally flew out of them. A pair of Aeralfos now inhabited the room. Unlike the previous enemies, they were alert as soon as they materialized and immediately took notice of the intruders.

"What are those things?" Kid wanted to know, drawing his sword and shield as he gazed up at the creatures.

"They're Aeralfos," Link began. He was about to go into more detail but had no time to do so as their foes swooped down without warning. They all scattered to different sides to evade the attack. Link whipped out his gale boomerang intent on hitting both Aeralfos with it. However, he was dismayed to find that the Aeralfos had split up. One was focused on him and the princess while the other had chased Kid and Tetra to the other side of the room.

Silently hoping that Kid and Tetra could manage on their own until he could make his way to them, Link hurriedly informed Zelda of his battle strategy and then released the gale boomerang at the Aeralfos hovering above them. A mini tornado consumed the boomerang and the Aeralfos raised its circular shield, which resembled a bulls-eye, to deflect the weapon. The boomerang flew back into Link's hand, and he switched it with expertise for his clawshot which he fired at the target-like shield. Instantly the Aeralfos was pulled down to the ground and Zelda attacked it with swift and precise sword strikes. Meanwhile, Link put away his clawshot and unsheathed his sword.

The oversized lizard with wings managed to put its shield between Zelda's sword and itself. Link took the opportunity to slice its exposed back. Feeling that it was outmatched on the ground, the Aeralfos beat its powerful leathery wings and took to the sky. Then it exercised a power he did not remember it having. A jet of fire shot out of its mouth and straight towards them. Link and Zelda deftly dodged the attack and Link took out his gale boomerang once again. The Aeralfos was still breathing fire, and Link chose to put a stop to that with the power of wind. He let the boomerang fly towards his enemy. Immediately, the assault stopped as it used its shield to prevent the boomerang from making contact.

Link dragged it down with his clawshot again, but just as he did so the room rumbled with a now all too familiar sound. The entire chamber tipped to the left causing Link to momentarily lose his balance. Fortunately for the Aeralfos, its wings kept it aloft just above the now sloped floor. Noticing its opponent's struggle the monster took the moment to thrust its sword forward straight for Link's neck. Upon seeing this, Link purposely surrendered all hopes of regaining his footing and fell hard onto his back, barely dodging the long blade. Link rolled to his feet and slashed at his opponent. The Aeralfos leaped back and Zelda, who had managed to reclaim her stability, thrust her sword into its back eliciting a growl-like shriek of pain from the creature. The sloped floor acted much like a steep hill and running up it was next to impossible. Link was not able to get there in time before the Aeralfos freed itself of the princess's blade and took to the air. This time, it flew high up into the ceiling and disappeared out of sight.

Link and Zelda kept their eyes on the sky, waiting for the creature to reappear, but it never did. Link wondered if it had died up there or was nurturing its wounds. Whatever the case, they were both forced to focus their attention on the younger members of their group who were struggling to dodge the attacks that the other Aeralfos was bombarding them with.

Letting the gale boomerang loose on this second foe, Link let himself half run, half slide, down the sloped floor towards his companions with Zelda in tow. The Aeralfos, apparently able to sense the wind coming towards it, used its wings to maneuver around the object, causing the boomerang to miss its target and return to Link's hand. The floor suddenly shifted once again, this time tilting in the opposite direction to create a fairly steep slope. Instantly, Link lost his footing and fell. By the thump behind him he could only infer that Zelda was on the floor as well.

Ahead of him, Kid and Tetra both stumbled forward, trying to run down the new slope in an attempt to preserve their balance. This ended badly though, as the slope was even steeper than the previous one. Tetra was the first to trip and she slammed hard into the ground. The Aeralfos, which was still aloft, saw this as its opportunity to strike and sucked in a breath. Link scrambled to his feet, but the incline forced him to his knees before he could even attempt to take more than a couple steps. It was like trying to climb up a rock wall with no rocks.

Kid who had stopped in his tracks as soon as he realized that Tetra wasn't beside him, took notice of her predicament. Just as the Aeralfos let loose its fiery breath Kid managed to reach Tetra. Link almost couldn't watch but found that he was unable to turn away. The jet of flame traveled closer and closer to their small forms and he was sure it was going to strike them. However, a second later they seemed to be magically teleported a couple feet away from the blast.

The room then chose to realign itself and Link got to his feet contemplating what he'd just witnessed. Kid and Tetra regrouped with them and Kid exclaimed breathlessly, "It happened again!"

"What did?" Link wondered.

"Time stopped!" Kid announced with obvious excitement. Link realized that this was the culprit for the so called "teleportation" he'd seen.

"How so?" Princess Zelda questioned him.

"I don't know. Everything just froze," Kid informed her.

Before anyone else had time to speak their mind the Aeralfos dived down towards them with surprising speed. Now that the ground was level they had no difficulty dodging it. Their enemy lifted itself into the air again, and Link threw his gale boomerang at it, causing it to raise its defenses. He used his clawshot to bring it down and they all worked together to attack it. With all four of them dealing blows, it didn't have a chance to recover or even escape to the sky. The Aeralfos eventually fell and disappeared in a puff of white smoke.

"Link, watch out!" Tetra warned him.

He heeded her advice without question and rolled forward. A second later the Aeralfos that had disappeared before slammed its sword down in an attempt to strike him. However, it missed its target and was rewarded with its blade getting stuck in the ground. With one slice of Link's sword the already weak monster succumbed to its inevitable fate, disappearing much like the other had.

The floor disappeared as well, and they were presented with the continuation of the spiral staircase. They decided to take the short intermission to try to make sense of the situation.

"What happened right before everything froze the first time?" Princess Zelda inquired as they began to descend the steps.

"I was about to get hit by a sword that the Darknut threw," Kid supplied.

"And then I jumped in front of him and time stopped," Link continued.

"And the second time Kid jumped in front of Tetra when she was about to get burned by the Aeralfos' attack, correct?" Princess Zelda clarified. Tetra and Kid nodded in confirmation.

"I'm noticing a pattern," Princess Zelda mused, "All throughout the temple we've been sacrificing things in exchange for others. It seems to me that when one of us takes an action to make the ultimate sacrifice, in other words, giving your life for another, time will stop long enough for those involved to spare themselves."

"As convenient as that is, I can't help but not trust it," Tetra admitted, "I mean, it's not natural for time to just suddenly stop. It doesn't make sense." The feeling was mutual with the rest of their party, and so nothing else was said.

Upon arriving at the next landing no one was surprised when three circles of light appeared, dropping off enemies for them to battle. There appeared to be three Stalfos, but all of them were unfamiliar to Link. The one in the middle wore golden armor that covered most of its boney body. It wielded two swords, both with their own unique design. The two Stalfos to either side of it weren't weighed down by any armor, except for small helmets atop their heads with orange tassels coming out of them and what appeared to be necklaces around their necks. They both wielded identical maces with deadly looking spikes on the clubbed end.

"I hate Stalfos; they take forever to kill," Tetra voiced her opinion in an exasperated tone.

"Not if you know how to kill them," Kid informed her, grinning. He obviously had a plan.

"When have you two ever come across Stalfos?" Link asked. Up until now, Kid and Tetra had only displayed their fighting abilities. They'd never been candid enough about monsters before to complain or voice strategies.

"None of your business," Tetra declared with so much certainty that Link almost believed her words held truth.

The Stalfos had no interest in their conversation and began to advance. The lavishly garbed skeleton was much swifter compared to its associates who were slowly coming closer, their large, and no doubt heavy, maces weighing them down.

Kid suddenly pulled out a blue bomb and lit it. Link knew that Kid had bombs because of the previous guardian battle but never had he witnessed him using them. Besides, a child carrying explosives was unnerving to say the least. Link needn't had been so anxious for Kid knew how to handle the bombs. He threw it towards the two slower Stalfos and it landed on the floor, its fuse still burning. Kid then took out his boomerang, although Link couldn't understand why, and ran towards the laggards. They instantly took interest in him and Kid smartly kept his distance while luring them closer to the ticking bomb.

Link tore his eyes away from Kid and to the Stalfos quickly approaching. He, along with Tetra and Zelda, circled around it in an attempt to figure out how to properly fight it. So far the only thing that Link had observed was that it seemed to move its two swords into different positions, leaving specific areas of its body unprotected. As soon as it switched its defenses again Link aligned his sword so it would hit the Stalfos' exposed side. After a single slice the Stalfos immediately used both its swords to prevent any more attacks from making contact. Link distanced himself just in time for a second later the monster cut the air with the blades.

From behind him a loud boom sounded, echoing around the entire chamber. He could only infer that it was the product of the bomb detonating. Even though he knew this, he couldn't help not taking a quick peek. Link momentarily took his eyes away from his foe and glanced over his shoulder. He was a bit alarmed when he saw the disembodied heads of the two Stalfos hopping around the room while their bones littered the floor. This sight didn't cause Kid any concern, and he released the boomerang he was holding once the two heads were close to each other. The boomerang paralyzed the bouncing skeleton skulls. Kid wasted no time in whipping out his Skull Hammer and smashing them to pieces in one swing. The heads, as well as the disassembled bodies they belonged to, dissipated into white smoke.

Link was forced to return his attention to the more advanced Stalfos before him. Zelda attempted to strike it with magic, creating a ball of Din's Fire and launching it at the monster. However, at one swipe from a single sword the spell was nullified. Link was unsure whether he should be surprised or not but glancing at Zelda's slightly startled expression he knew that her attack wasn't supposed to be cast aside so effortlessly and grew concerned. Just what were they fighting? Had they actually reached the guardian this time or was it merely another dangerous distraction?

The heavily armored Stalfos wasted no time in bombarding them all with attacks from its dual blades. They expertly dodged the attempts and once the Stalfos held up its swords in defense Kid chose to step forward and attack it on its open side. Similar to Link's previous experience with the monster, he couldn't get in more than one hit before he was forced to retreat. Zelda attempted it next, but after a single strike the Stalfos held up its swords in an X formation, a seemingly impenetrable barrier of steel. Tetra, however, saw it as an opportunity and thrust her dagger forward into its exposed lower stomach. Instead of wasting the time to slice its swords down, the Stalfos felt that it was much easier to use the pommel of its sword to strike the young girl squarely in the forehead.

"Ouch! You'll pay for that!" Tetra pledged, reeling back and putting a hand to her sore head. The Stalfos disagreed and rushed forward intending to end its small foe. Tetra leaped out of the way and the rest of them took advantage of its lack of defenses and attacked. They managed to get in five hits before the Stalfos regained its guard. They then resumed the tedious process from before, darting in to land a single blow and shying away as soon as the Stalfos raised its swords to defy them. Some of the Stalfos' gleaming armor had fallen off which Link regarded as a good sign.

After taking two more direct hits, the Stalfos distanced itself. Link thought that it would fall to pieces. However, it surprised everyone by revealing two additional boney arms, each wielding a weapon. Now that the extra limbs had been revealed, Link felt vacuous for not noticing them before when they were folded neatly across the skeleton's midsection disguised as armor.

As if this upgrade wasn't challenging enough to deal with, the room decided to tilt to the side again. The only fortunate thing about it this time was that just as their balance was compromised, so was their foe's. Everyone managed to stay on their feet and the Stalfos possessed the coordination to regain its lost balance and slide down the slight incline towards them, its three swords and one axe held aloft threateningly.

Either dodging or blocking the attacks thrown their way, the small group of four circled around their multi-armed enemy. Link and Kid attempted to attack from the front while Zelda and Tetra tried to catch it by surprise from behind. The plan almost worked, but the floor leaned the other way, and their scheme was foiled. After a few minutes passed the chamber leveled out, and they tried again. This time, it worked quite well, and after a few hits the Stalfos' golden helmet fell off its head revealing a hollowed out socket with a glowing red pupil; a third eye.

The loss of its head protection angered it. To express its fury the creature attacked even more fiercely than before, scarcely leaving an opening and always staying close to one of them. Kid tried blowing it to pieces like the other two Stalfos. However, the results were not desirable since the bomb only succeeded in blowing its arms off. The Stalfos reassembled itself in record time and the group of four were forced back on the defensive before they could abandon it.

It took much precision and observing of the enemy to finally defeat the unique Stalfos. Once they had eradicated it the floor disappeared to reveal the continuance of the staircase.

"Does it ever end?" Tetra groaned in annoyance as they began to descend the steps.

"The steps or the monster attacks?" Kid asked.

"I'd take either one," Tetra replied seriously. Link had to agree. This was becoming excruciatingly repetitive.

Upon reaching the next landing Link had a strong suspicion that it was the final one. It might have been the fact that there was a small fan set into the back wall, spinning around faster than seemed possible with no notable breeze in the room, or it might have been the pale purple colored floor that contrasted with the black void of walls circling them that gave him the hint. This time the white lights dotted the floor like stars in the night sky and when they faded so many monsters stood in the room that the floor was barely visible. A multitude of low class monsters, such as Chus, Keese, and Bulblins inhabited the room, backed up by stronger, more challenging enemies like the ones they'd faced in the previous three rooms.

Link, who hadn't sheathed his sword after the previous battle, gripped the hilt tighter in his hand as the decent-sized militia of monsters began to advance. The less challenging enemies were positioned in the frontal lines and the more challenging inhabited the rear of the army. Keese swooped down on the small party first and were easily dispatched. The Chus came next, however, just as there was variety to the Stalfos and Darknuts, these also came in two different forms. Some were just as he remembered, vibrantly colored amorphous blobs without individual identities of any kind. Others weren't as featureless and sported large bulbous eyes and silly grins. These Chus would hop around occasionally and reduce themselves to mere puddles of goo to move around before popping up again. A select few seemed to have a wave of electricity leaping around them which provided a shield for their gelatinous bodies.

Kid appeared to have some sort of experience for defeating this particular variety and stunned them with his bright yellow boomerang while Tetra finished them off with her dagger. Link and Zelda quickly dealt with the blobs slithering along the floor so they didn't have time to combine and become dangerous. The Bulblins followed soon after. Each wielded a weapon of some kind, be it as complicated as a sharp edged machete or as simple as a large, sturdy stick. These were dealt with in a much slower manner as there were at least ten of them and the monsters didn't leave them much space to maneuver. A few more bright flashes of white light appeared from behind the horde of enemies. A few seconds later a group of Keese rained down from the sky and more Chus squirmed their way to the front.

"Do me a favor and stay dead when I kill you!" Tetra reprimanded a Keese as she knocked it off its course with her dagger.

Link concentrated on slaying the Bulblin before him while fending off any small foes inhabiting the air or ground. After a few minutes of fighting it became apparent that the outcome was decided as soon as it began. There was no way for the foursome to prevail over all of the monsters when every single one of them regenerated shortly after being killed.

"This isn't working," Kid announced as he ducked under a Bulblin's weapon and stabbed it in the chest. It disappeared in a puff of white vapor but they all knew that wasn't the last of it.

"There must be something generating all of these monsters," Princess Zelda pointed out as she used a strong gust of wind magic to blow the lighter advancing foes off their feet. The ones weighed down by armor, such as the Darknuts, Lizalfos, and Dynalfos, stood their ground and continued to approach.

"There are too many!" Tetra cried, as she was forced back towards the wall. Link, who was the closest, rushed over to help her. A dark purple Chu with big eyes was almost upon her and just as it jumped to attack her, Link used his shield to create a barrier. The Chu bounced off, melted down to an invincible puddle, and then popped up to attention once again.

"Deal with that one, I'll get the others," Link ordered her, turning to deal with the three five Bulblins and other forms of Chus that were fast approaching.

"I can't," Tetra informed him begrudgingly.

"Why not?" Link wondered, focusing on dispatching the enemies before him.

"Because weapons don't have any effect on it," Tetra said, abandoning the dark colored Chu and fighting one of the Bulblins instead.

Link found that hard to believe but finished off the most menacing enemies in close vicinity before turning to address the rogue Chu. He slashed the gelatinous blob with his sword and was surprised when its body dispersed in perfectly round orbs and reformed itself a second later, completely unfazed.

"Kid! Get over here with your mirror shield!" Tetra yelled. Link wondered what that had to do with anything.

"I'm kinda busy at the moment!" Kid returned, "And besides, I can't do anything. There's no light!"

"Link has a lantern," Tetra supplied as she ducked under an attack of one of the more advanced monsters.

"That won't work," Kid shouted, "It has to be natural light."

"Why?" Tetra wondered in frustration. Link hurried over to help her with the Dynalfos that was attempting to injure her.

"I don't know!" Kid replied in exasperation as the conversation kept distracting him from the battle he was engaged in with a Darknut at the moment.

Link used a shield bash to momentarily disable the foe in front of him and performed a helm splitter. Tetra took the opportunity to harm the monster with her dagger but after a couple hits it lashed its tail out in an attempt to knock her away. Tetra's reflexes were sharp and she easily jumped over the spiked tail and continued the assault. However, the Dynalfos' shield prevented her attacks from getting through. Link performed a jump strike from behind while it was distracted and ended the creature.

Link and Tetra, along with Kid who had finished off the Darknut, regrouped with Zelda and attempted to come up with a plan as they battled, their backs to each other.

"Any time we kill one that white light just brings it back," Tetra began the conversation as she cut down some of the enemies in front of her, "so there's really no point in killing any of them since we're just wasting our energy."

"But if they're here then they have to be protecting something," Kid spoke up, using his shield to block a sword strike.

"Could they be protecting the guardian?" Link suggested as he ended an overconfident Bulblin.

"There would be no need to protect the guardian because each guardian can only be defeated if their power source is taken away," Zelda answered, brandishing her sword in front of her to wield off advancing foes.

"We haven't even reached the guardian yet though!" Tetra pointed out.

"Maybe the guardian is disguised somewhere among all of these monsters?" Kid proposed. They chewed on that idea for a while as they fought the seemingly immortal monsters.

Link then tried to think about the room layout. If the guardian wasn't disguised as a monster then that meant that something of value had to be in the chamber. The floor was a different hue than the last three, but that didn't signify much. The walls were blank faces of shadow. The only notable thing in the otherwise ordinary room was the fan set into the wall at the back of the chamber, propelled by the memory of some long forgotten wind. He couldn't tell what lay behind it as a result of its quick movements, but he could infer that whatever lay beyond it was what gave the never dying monsters purpose.

"I bet they're guarding whatever's behind that fan," Link voiced his thoughts to his companions who briefly switched their attention from the foe they were battling to the fan at the back of the room.

"Seems probable," Zelda nodded her approval.

"That makes sense," Kid replied.

"One problem, how are we going to get to it? It doesn't look that fan's stopping anytime soon," Tetra said as she redirected her attention to the pesky wide-eyed purple Chu that had finally rejoined in the action.

"We could throw something into it to jam it," Kid recommended, killing a couple keese that had gotten too close.

"Those blades don't look like normal blades," Link pointed out, taking another glance at the swirling colors of the fan. It was luminescent and almost looked like crystal.

"That wouldn't work anyway. It is moving so fast that anything that attempts to get past it will either be repelled or shredded to pieces," Zelda informed them, "Which means the only way to stop the fan is to stop time."

"In case you've forgotten, that only works if someone is about to take a hit that will kill them. You're proposing that we do so voluntarily? That's suicide!" Link exclaimed. They didn't even know what was behind the fan. Were they willing to potentially die for an unknown prize?

"It's not suicide if you don't die," Tetra interjected with a smirk.

"It's still attempted suicide," Link muttered, refusing to back down which was a bit ridiculous because he'd been the one to point out the fan in the first place. However, he didn't anticipate his companions to take it this far. There was still the possibility that he was wrong. What if there was nothing behind the fan? Then what?

"Two of us will have to lure away one of the large enemies towards the fan and the other two will have to hold the remaining enemies at bay as best as they can," Zelda said, already formulating a strategy.

"How are we going to decide who does what?" Kid wondered. It was apparent that no one wanted to play the part of the victim.

"We'll decide based upon ability," Zelda answered him, "Anyone who can use large attacks that take out more than one opponent at once should defend. The other two would be in charge of getting the item behind the fan."

"Okay, I'm on the suicide mission team then," Tetra announced, "Who's my partner?"

"I'll be on the defense team," Zelda notified them, batting away the machete of a Bulblin.

Link and Kid were undecided since they both claimed that they could handle a group of enemies by their selves. Kid volunteered to team up with Tetra, but Link opposed the pairing because their group had the more dangerous job. While the children technically weren't his responsibility he  _felt_  that they were, and that was enough. Letting them both run off alone to taunt death wouldn't help Link protect them. If he was with one of them then he at least had a chance of doing what he regarded as his job. For this reason it was decided that Link and Tetra would attempt to retrieve the object behind the fan while Zelda and Kid kept the majority of the enemies away from them.

As expected, Tetra was unhappy about the arrangements, but there was no time to argue because of the swarm of monsters in the room. When the opportunity arose Link and Tetra slipped out of the heat of battle. Most of the creatures ignored them, but they drew the attention of a few powerful enemies from the outer edges. A Darknut and two Dynalfos were approaching them, and Link became worried as they ran to the back of the room, the monsters in tow. The plan was positively insane and beyond dangerous. Their little trick of stopping time wouldn't work unless the hit one of them was about to take was deadly. It wouldn't stop either of them from getting injured if they were too reckless. Speaking of reckless, Tetra was practically the definition of the word which made him even more apprehensive than he already was.

"Be careful, and don't deliberately try to get hit," Link ordered as they both reached the fan and turned around to face their pursuers.

"How are we expected to stop time if you're setting rules like that?" Tetra snapped at him, "One of us has to leave ourselves open to attacks."

"No, one of us has to leave ourselves open to  _life threatening_  attacks, not every attack they throw at us," Link corrected her, "And that will be me, so block and dodge everything and if I'm about to get hit shield me, got it?" He could tell that his partner in crime didn't appreciate him giving the orders, but she nodded begrudgingly since she knew there was no room for a full blown argument. The pair both turned their attention to the monsters that were almost upon them. The first to arrive were the Dynalfos which Link quickly dispatched since they were more of an injury inflicting nuisance than a death threat.

This left the Darknut which engaged them in combat immediately. Their timing and placement would have to be perfect or the entire plan would fall apart. If they managed to freeze time and were too far away from the fan, then they wouldn't be able to reach whatever lay beyond it because as soon as they got out of range of the deadly blow that would be on its course towards them time would resume. The problem was that fighting a Darknut required much maneuvering to do actual damage, so battling it from the front was impossible. Well, it could be done, but being backed into a wall was much more likely in that instance. Link fought the creature from the front while Tetra used even closer ranged attacks on its back. It shed the black armor like a second skin, and soon it jumped back from Link, preparing to throw its original sword at him.

Link had planned on standing there so Tetra could stop time by running in front of him, but he soon abandoned all hope of that notion succeeding and leaped to the side to avoid the spiraling sword heading straight for him. In jumping backwards, the Darknut had caught Tetra off guard and knocked her down. She was just getting to her feet when the Darknut whipped out its second sword and whirled around on her. Link ran over and used a vertical slice to announce his presence to the monster. The Darknut targeted him instead and Link back up towards the fan, knowing that any near death experience he had now would be up close and personal with a sharp sword.

Tetra lingered on the side lines, poised to step in when necessary. Link was charged with the difficult task of identifying a life taking move while avoiding every other one. It didn't seem like such a challenge at first since any hit from a sword could kill a person in time. However, this exact hit had to end a person's life immediately. Seeking out such a move was tricky to say the least. If he chose the wrong one then either one or both of them would perish.

After agonizing minutes of toying with the Darknut, Link still hadn't found the opportunity he was searching for. Every sword strike had to be parried or blocked so they wouldn't inflict an injury. Every shield bash, countered, and every single action was a distraction, pulling him further away from his goal.

"Use some kind of big fancy move that will leave you wide open to attacks afterward," Tetra suggested, as she watched the fight, occasionally batting away weak enemies that forced their way out of the main swarm.

Even Link had to admit that it was a relatively good idea for their cause. Link decided to try a maneuver that almost never worked for him with Darknuts. He executed a jump attack which the Darknut dodged just as he'd anticipated. As he landed on his feet the long sought out move was discovered. The intimidating monster swiped its sword horizontally in front of it in retaliation. Link knew it was coming and couldn't help flinching as the blade inched closer and closer to his neck. He willed Tetra to hurry and as if she'd heard his silent plea, the young girl appeared a second later. Time halted in its tracks for the third time that day, the sword of his enemy a breath away from doing harm.

Link looked back to the fan, its blades had stopped their indefinite revolution and he peered past them and into the shallow chamber they concealed while in motion. Out of everything he'd imagined seeing, he was stunned to see the bottom of a diamond shaped bottle, a golden light pouring out of it. It was the last tear!

"What's the tear doing there?" Tetra wondered, noticing it as well.

"I don't know; I'm just as confused as you are. I thought the guardian was the one carrying it…" Link trailed off in thought.

Tetra continued it for him, "…unless the guardian  _is_  carrying it, and we're really…inside it?"

Link didn't want to believe the theory, but the more he thought about it the more probable it became. The large gear-shaped door opening and closing behind them must have been the mouth, and the trembles from early on must have been the guardian moving around, stretching its limbs, or lack thereof, after being inactive for so long. The steady ticking sounds that had been present for the duration of their time in the strange cylindrical chamber was what passed as its heartbeat. By the layout inside he inferred that on the outside it looked like a worm of some sort. The monsters' presence puzzled him a bit, but he figured that they were the guardian's defense system, just like ordinary people's bodies had natural ways of fighting off diseases and whatnot, so did the guardian. The difference was that its body generated monsters to purge what didn't belong, namely, Link and his companions.

Tetra seemed to come to the same conclusion and said, "If we really are inside the guardian and it functions off of that tear, then once we remove it, it won't be able to regenerate the monsters anymore, right?"

"That's what should happen," Link agreed, "but I have a feeling that the whole time stopping feature is part of the guardian's doing. If it's not functioning anymore then will that make time immediately leap back into action as soon as we take the tear out?"

"Probably; which means we're as good as dead," Tetra replied, eyeing the sword that was on a crash course with them. The danger was imminent. Neither of them could move from their current position or time would resume.

"Alright, let's do this," Link proposed after a few seconds of contemplation, "I'll take the tear out, as soon as that happens, get down"

"What about you?" Tetra asked.

"You be ready when time starts up again and I'll worry about myself," Link told her. He actually hadn't planned very far ahead, but the way that he saw it, there wouldn't be enough time for him to duck fast enough. He'd just have to take what they came for and pray that some miracle would spare him.

Fortunately, they had stopped time directly next to the fan which gave Link easy access. He reach past the blades, careful to stay in position as much as he could. Grasping the bottom of the bottle in his hand, Link waited until he had a firm grip on the slippery glass before attempting to pull it out of the wall. It slid completely free with just a couple decent pulls. As soon as it was out Link drew his arm back, wary of the frozen, crystal-like blades of the fan. With the bottled goddess tear in his hand, time sprang back into motion just as predicted.

With it came the reanimation of the sword on its judgmental path. Link's eyes widened briefly as it traveled far too quickly towards its destination which was unfortunately him. Just as the blade was about to touch his neck it burst into a fine white dust, along with its wielder. The pallid particles blew away and evaporated into the air, taking with it every single monster that once inhabited the room. However, it did not take away Link's adrenaline which was still going strong as he stood there trying to process what had just happened. The steady ticking sound of the guardian's heartbeat was slowing dramatically, becoming more and more irregular by the second.

The foursome weren't allotted much more than a few seconds before a deep rumble echoed throughout the entire chamber. Sparks leaped off of the now unmoving fan to Link's right. He and Tetra distanced themselves from it before it was consumed in a mini explosion. The walls near the fan followed suit a few seconds later and it was then that Link realized the guardian had a self-destruct button, and he'd just activated it.

It didn't take them long to come to the conclusion that they had to evacuate the premises lest they wanted to be blown to pieces, which no one did. Without question they all bolted up the staircase of protruding gears which were now still. Even taking the steps three at a time Link wasn't sure he was going to make it when he felt the heat from the explosions brush his legs. Trying not to think about it, he continued to run up the steps after everyone else.

The way up was much swifter than going down which may have been because of the fact that they were practically sprinting up the stairs or because there were no monsters to fight. It was most likely both. Regardless, they reached the top much quicker than expected, and to Link's great relief the mouth of the guardian was wide open. They all hurried out of the dying guardian and didn't stop running until they reached the pool of blue light that had materialized a couple feet away.

Link was the last to reach it and felt the heat rolling in waves off of the guardian as it exploded in a shower of sparks. The deep blue light engulfed him before he could be harmed and whisked him away to the shore of the spring.

"You got the last tear," Kid pointed out, noticing the bottle clutched in Link's hand after they had all caught their breath.

Link nodded, "Yeah, turns out we were inside the guardian the entire time."

"Really? I knew something unusual was going on, but I would have never guessed…" Zelda trailed off in thought, her tone a bit more nonchalant than seemed appropriate in reaction to the information.

"We have all the tears now," Tetra spoke up, changing the subject since apparently voluntarily walking into a death trap wasn't an interesting enough topic to discuss, "so what do we do next?"

"The subsequent line in the riddle was  _'Reawaken the servant who dreams'_ , correct?" Zelda checked.

"Yeah, but I have no idea what that means," Tetra confirmed with a curt nod.

"Maybe the tears can help us figure it out? I mean, we had to collect them for a reason, right?" Kid suggested. Link set the diamond shaped bottle carefully on the ground and dug around in his pouch, pulling out the other special glass containers with their goddess treasures nestled securely inside. As soon as the last bottle was out in the open all of the tears began to react, spinning around in their confined prisons of meticulously crafted glass in ecstasy.

Link and his companions were mesmerized as the different colored tears shot up out of their separate bottles as if they couldn't stand being there a second longer. Nayru's tear, a calming blue hue, and Din's tear, a mini flame of bright red, danced around each other before combining, sharing their colors. Farore's tear, a lively shade of green, and Hylia's tear, a bright gold that brought the sun to shame, engaged in a similar greeting and combined, their colors blending together. Now two separate balls of light, they spent less time with ritual shows and embraced, blue mingling with gold, red staining green, gold spreading its wings to cover red, and green stretching its eager fingers over blue. It took a burst of color for the goddess tears to agree on a single shade. Now a silvery white orb of light, it raced out of the open gates of the spring and towards Faron Woods.

They all passed through the gates and looked to the right. The orb floated just a step shy of the suspension bridge. Once it was clear that the sphere of united tears would not move, Link walked over to it, his companions trailing behind him. Just as he reached out to touch the orb hovering in the air, it sped ahead, stopping after a few feet.

"It's leading us somewhere," Tetra concluded immediately.

She was about to chase after it, but Link called her back, "Wait, we need to get Midna first and the horses too. We don't know how far it's going to take us."

"Alright, but let's hurry!" Tetra sighed in slight exasperation, changing direction and running back towards Ordon. They all followed her and soon arrived at Link's house where they quickly explained the situation to Midna, who seemed eager to get going as soon as possible, and hastily mounted the horses. Link urged Epona forward and soon they were approaching the ball of white and silver that had waited so patiently for their return. Upon reaching its checkpoint, the congregation of tears moved out of their reach, and the chase was on.


	31. From Chasing to Reawakening

Like a star guiding them, the sphere of white and silver danced ahead, just beyond their reach. It wove them between trees and over dirt paths swathed in fallen leaves. A light breeze ruffled the treetops, sending the trees whispering amongst themselves. The wind brought a small chill with it, and Kid wondered if it signified the changing of seasons. He knew that it had been the end of the summer months when he and everyone else had left. Judging by the faint tint of color to the swaying leaves, he could only infer that it signified the beginnings of autumn.

On the Great Sea the line defining one season from the next was imperceptible. The only signal they had that something had changed was the intensity of the heat and, sometimes, the amount of storms that raged across the ocean. Autumn normally consisted of uncertain months as the weather switched between unbearably hot and comfortably warm while the days gradually began to shorten and dusk fell much quicker than it used to.

In Hyrule, Kid found that there was a more noticeable change and briefly contemplated what winter was like. He'd seen snow and braved freezing temperatures before, but they were always confined to a single island. The notion of witnessing a large expanse of land that seemed to go on forever endure something like that once a year was somehow alluring.

The startled whinny of Princess Zelda's horse brought Kid out of his reverie, and he snapped to attention, wondering what had elicited the sound from the generally calm animal. A plant-like creature that resembled a Boko Baba had suddenly revealed itself from the underbrush.

"That wasn't here yesterday," Kid said, distinctly recalling the previous morning when they had come this way to reach Faron's Spring.

"Which means Zant has been busy since the last time we saw him," Link sighed, dismounting and drawing his sword. He killed the monster quickly and climbed back on Epona. The silver orb had stopped a few feet ahead, unperturbed by the interruption and waiting for them to start moving again.

They continued with Epona in the lead, the girls trailing behind so the princess' horse wouldn't get spooked if any other monsters decided to make an appearance. Link slowed Epona to a trot, and as they progressed more monsters made themselves known. None of them seemed too menacing. There were the plant monsters, which Link referred to as Deku Babas, and Keese, which they only found when passing under low lying branches and through a couple caves.

All the while, their guide had stayed within sight, unfazed even when the Keese tried to snatch it out of the air.

Once they came to a large clearing Kid immediately noted the copious amount of thick purple fog covering most of the area.

"Zant's work too, I assume," Princess Zelda spoke up, glancing at Link.

"Yup, but we can handle it. The fog disperses for a while with firelight so I can use my lantern to cut a path for us," Link replied, hopping down off of Epona.

"Aren't we taking the horses too?" Tetra asked Link as he refilled his lantern with the oil they had bought at Trill's humble little shop yesterday.

"My lantern will only clear a space large enough for the four of us to walk through safely. We'll have to leave the horses here, but where ever this thing is leading us, it can't be much farther if it took us this way," Link explained.

Everyone else dismounted, and Link instructed them to stay close before venturing to the edge of the fog, which he had informed them was poisonous. Kid obediently followed Link's directions, wary of the deadly vapor surrounding them. Tetra was the only one that lingered near the border's edge where the clear area stopped and the fog began.

"Tetra, maybe you should stay closer," Kid advised his pirate friend, watching nervously as the tendrils of fog began to creep over the edge, tainting their safe zone.

"I'm fine, Kid," Tetra replied, rolling her eyes and inching away from the fog a little so the tendrils wouldn't latch onto her. Glancing at Link, Kid could tell that he was getting fed up with her not listening, so he thought about trying to persuade her again.

Just as he opened his mouth to attempt it, a shape materialized out of the thick purple fog. "Tetra-" Kid began to warn her, sure that it was a monster now as he could see its outline better.

Tetra heaved a sigh of annoyance and turned to look at him, "Look, I told you already. I'm fi-aiiiii!" Her words cut off in a scream as she was dragged into the fog by an unidentified monster. Kid instinctively unsheathed his sword and shield and rushed into the fog after Tetra and whatever had grabbed her, ears deaf to Link yelling at him to wait. He could only think of getting Tetra back, focusing on the dark outlines through the mist. For a few seconds his mind didn't even register that the strange vapor surrounding him was harmful, and he kept running.

Kid could clearly see the silhouettes just a couple feet in front of him now. For whatever reason, Tetra didn't even seem to be struggling in her captor's grip. Suddenly, he the poisonous fog's effects and pushed forward in sheer determination even as his vision became blurry and his limbs grew heavy. Determination didn't carry him as far as he would have liked, and before he knew it the distorted shapes and colors in his vision became even more indistinguishable, and everything faded to black.

The first thing Kid was aware of was a small pain jabbing into his lower back. The second, was the sick feeling in the pit of his stomach, and the third, the pounding of his head. He tried to remember what had happened since he didn't feel like he had the strength to open his eyes just yet. Tetra had been dragged into poisonous fog by a monster, he had followed like an idiot and passed out. Which prompted the question: Where was he now? The only way to find out was to open his eyes.

Kid slowly allowed his eyes to open. Everything was fuzzy at first, but after a few seconds his vision came into focus, and he was left staring up at a light blue sky dusted with white clouds. The high, leafy branches of trees outlined his view of the sky.

"Oh look you're not dead!" Midna announced in a matter-of-fact tone, her shadow bathed form coming to hover just above him as she positioned herself in such a fashion that it appeared she was laying down on her stomach, her head propped up by her hands in interest.

"Barely," Kid groaned, forcing down the urge to cough.

Link, who Kid just realized had been sitting next to him, waved Midna away and helped him sit up, easing the pinprick of pain in his back. It was then that he realized he'd been laying on a small pebble. "Hey, Kid, you still have your red potion right? Link wondered. Kid gave a small nod in confirmation.

"Drink it. It'll make you feel better," Link urged him. In all honestly, drinking anything was the last thing Kid wanted to do because of the nauseous feeling in his stomach, but he took Link's advice, knowing that the feeling was a result of the poison working through his system. It took a few seconds of fumbling around in his stash of various items to find the bottle filled with the red liquid.

Once Kid found it, he uncorked the bottle, and tried not to think about how much his stomach hurt at the moment as he began to drink it. Being better tasting than the potions he was used to consuming definitely helped him keep the food that he'd had earlier in the morning down. Halfway through, he had to stop, fearing that he would be sick. Eventually he finished it all, and after a minute or two the medicine set to work, forcing away most of the pain in his head and stomach.

"Better?" Link checked, watching him in concern.

"Yeah, I'm good," Kid nodded, "Is Tetra okay?"

"She hasn't woken up yet, but she was in there longer than you. Since you're up I think she should be awake in a minute or two," Link replied. Tetra did, in fact, wake up a few minutes later. She appeared to feel just as terrible, if not worse, than Kid had upon waking, but after drinking a bottle of red potion her condition improved. Princess Zelda ordered them both to do nothing more than sit for the time being since they were still weak despite the medicine they'd consumed.

At first they settled for chatting about what had happened after Kid and Tetra had disappeared into the fog. Because of the purple mist, Link and the princess couldn't move quickly enough to get to them, so Midna had been the one to defeat the monster, which was a low-life Bulblin, and retrieve them both since the fog had no effect on her. They then had to backtrack to where their silver guide was waiting, while dealing with the challenge of carrying two unconscious kids and keeping the poison vapor at bay simultaneously. Once they found the silver orb again, they continuously got interrupted by Keese and a group of Bulblin. Finally they made it out of the fog and followed the light to the clearing they were currently in. Though it was not their destination, Link, Princess Zelda, and Midna thought it would be a good resting spot.

"Honestly, you should have dropped as soon as that fog touched you," Midna informed Kid, "but for some reason you kept going for a few seconds."

"Why doesn't the fog affect you?" Tetra inquired, seeming annoyed that Midna was the only one immune to it.

"Aww, jealous?" Midna teased her, and then proceeded to answer her question, "I'm not really sure why it doesn't affect me, but I did sense some twilit particles in it, so that probably has something to do with it."

"How did the monsters survive it?" Kid wondered.

"I don't know. We only encountered normal Bulblin, but the fog was probably created in such a way that the monsters would be immune to it. It was actually pretty smart, putting the Bulblins in the fog, so we couldn't see them until it was too late," Midna mused.

"Yeah, that wasn't even fair!" Tetra complained, "The fog was so thick that I couldn't see the monster coming."

"I tried to warn you, but you cut me off," Kid interjected.

"That's only because I thought you were on my case again about being too close to the fog," Tetra defended herself.

"Which you were," Link reprimanded her, "I told you to stay close to me, and you did the opposite."

"But I was still in the safe zone," Tetra argued, "It's not my fault that the monster grabbed me."

"You were at the edge of the safe zone," Link corrected her, "and it wouldn't have been able to grab you so easily if you were where you were supposed to be."

"Whatever," Tetra breathed in exasperation, standing up and stretching, "Can we get going now?"

"If you two feel fine then sure," Link said, relief apparent in his tone that Tetra didn't press the matter as much as he'd been anticipating. Kid got to his feet, surprised at how well the potion had worked considering that they'd been poisoned. He briefly questioned his companions about it, and Midna was able to provide him with the answer. The poisonous fog was not, luckily for them, intended to kill, but to immobilize and trap its victims until whoever wanted them could retrieve them.

The foursome then continued following their silvery guide on foot. They passed Trill's shop and decided to refill on lantern oil and red potion. Curiously enough the talkative little bird wasn't there.

"That's weird," Link said, noting the mini shopkeeper's absence, "He never leaves his shop unattended."

"Perhaps the monsters forced him out," Princess Zelda suggested.

"I don't see any," Kid pointed out, taking another look around the area.

"Oh well, let's grab the stuff and go," Tetra declared.

"I'm going to pay for it," Link announced, as he set to refilling the bottles.

"Why? It's not like he'd know we took anything," Tetra insisted.

"I don't know if no one has ever said this to you before, but in case you haven't heard it, I'm going to say it now. Stealing is wrong, okay?" Link lectured.

"Is it really? I've never heard that before," Tetra commented, her tone indifferent. Kid couldn't tell if she was being serious or not, and he had thought he was almost an expert at interpreting her by now.

"Tell me you're joking," Link pleaded, corking the bottles he'd filled.

"You decide," Tetra shrugged, taking the bottles of red potion from Link and handing one to Kid as Link dug some rupees out of his wallet and dropped them in the payment box.

Kid and Tetra put their bottles of red potion away, and they resumed chasing the ball of combined goddess tears. It led them up a large, slightly curving root of a grand tree coming out of the ground. The root created a raised platform of sorts for them to stand on. From their vantage point, Kid could see that they were on a cliff of sorts. A decent sized, sturdy branch grew out of the big hollowed out bridge to their left, almost resembling a platform.

To their surprise the silver and white sphere continued, flying over the lip of the thin root that created a natural, unscalable wall in front of the edge, and skipped ahead so they couldn't see it anymore.

"How are we supposed to cross?" Kid wondered. The bridge wouldn't help them, and even if they managed to somehow get on top of the wall there was no way they'd be able to jump the far distance to the mini log platform.

"There should be a golden cucco around here somewhere," Link muttered, scanning the area. The foursome split up to search for the animal. Kid began to delve in a patch of tall grass, and a Deku Baba shot up in front of him, regarding him as if he were a snack. Kid unsheathed his sword and side stepped out of the way when it lunged at him. He then cut the vine that served as its neck, and it melted into a shadowy substance.

Kid surveyed the rest of the area, but didn't see anything golden in color. Five minutes later, they met up at the middle of the clearing. Their search had yielded no results.

"What now?" Tetra wanted to know, looking to Link expectantly.

"…I don't know," Link admitted after a hesitant pause, "The golden cucco  _should_  be here, but it's not. I'm not sure that there is an alternative."

"Sounds like you need my help," Midna interrupted, slipping out of Link's shadow and joining the conversation. She didn't look like a shadow anymore. Instead she was in her solid form, turquoise runes standing out bright against her black and white colored skin.

"Midna what are you talking about?" Link asked, seeming wary of the Twili's next words. Instead of replying, a mischievous grin came over Midna's face, and she held out her right hand, palm up. A small bout of shadow magic burst from her palm and faded away to reveal a strange object. It looked like some kind of weird charm. Kid could only infer that it was composed of some kind of substance native to the Twilight Realm. The charm was cut in a jagged fashion, mostly black with the exception of bright orange outlining some of the runes etched into it.

"No," Link stated instantly, eyeing the charm as if it would bite him.

"Oh come on!" Midna sighed, rolling her eyes. She drifted closer to Link, causing him to back up, acting as if she was pointing a deadly weapon at him, "With this, you can be over there in no time, and you can carry everyone else over too. Think about it, we've already wasted enough time with that poisonous fog business. The longer we wait, the more opportunity Zant has to strike."

Link said nothing, but it was apparent that he was still against whatever idea Midna had come up with.

"What is that thing?" Tetra questioned Midna, pointing to the strange object that appeared to freak Link out.

"It's called a shadow crystal. It's composed of dark magic," Midna explained, balancing it on the tip of her pointer finger.

"What does it do?" Kid wondered.

"You wanna see?" Midna responded with a question of her own.

"No, he doesn't," Link answered for Kid before he could reply.

"Yes, I do," Kid protested.

"Me too!" Tetra added.

"It's decided then!" Midna declared, "Link come 'ere!" Link chose to run instead which prompted Midna to chase him. Midna couldn't fly as fast as Link could run, but she did succeed in keeping Link in the clearing they currently inhabited.

"Link, this is ludicrous! Just let her get it over with!" Princess Zelda called to him as he circled the entire clearing for what must have been the fourth time.

"If you feel that way then why don't you let her use it on you instead?!" Link yelled back.

"Because we both know it won't work the same way," Princess Zelda replied calmly. Link was about to shout back a retort, but skidded to a stop upon realizing that in humoring the princess by responding to her comment he had left Midna a chance to corner him.

"Midna," Link spoke slowly in hopes that if he chose his words carefully enough he could spare himself, "We can find a different way across."

"Oh yeah? Care to tell me what that 'different way' is?" Midna taunted him as she advanced.

Link thought for a few seconds and came up empty. "Alright, so I don't have a different way," Link finally sighed, "but…if you have to do it then please be gent-ahhh!" Link yelled as Midna mercilessly touched the shadow crystal to his forehead.

Immediately the scene wasn't as comical as before, and the smile that Kid had previously been wearing fell into an uncertain frown. Beside him, Tetra gasped in surprise, her eyes wide as she watched Link collapse on the ground. Princess Zelda was unmoved by the display, as if it was an everyday occurrence. Shadows seemed to writhe around Link before consuming his form, reshaping it. Mere seconds later the shadows retreated to reveal a foreign type of animal.

It resembled a dog of some kind, but if that was what it was, then it was the largest dog Kid had ever laid eyes on. The animal had an elongated snout and ears that stuck straight up from its head. Thick greyish fur with a tint of green covered its entire body. White fur sprouted from its underbelly and on certain parts of its face.

Midna almost seemed humored as it dropped into what Kid interpreted as a fighting stance and growled at her. She floated down to eye level with it and, still grinning, cupped its chin her hands. "Now, now, do we have to go over manners again?" Midna asked as if speaking to a particularly disobedient child.

The beast slowly relaxed its stance, and Midna patted it on the head, "Good boy," she praised before doing a flip in the air and purposely putting her full weight down when she landed on the animal's back, making it stumble forward slightly.

"Eee hee hee, you two should see your faces!" Midna giggled as she and her unique ride drew closer, causing Kid and Tetra to involuntarily back up.

"Don't be scared. Link wouldn't dream of hurting you," Midna informed them. As if to show that what Midna said was true, the beast, let his ears droop down to rest against his head, lowering himself to the ground so he was laying down a couple feet in front of them.

Kid was speechless.  _"That's Link?!"_  he thought in disbelief. Quicker than he thought it would, his mind began to wrap around the concept and accept it.  _"After all,"_  he consoled himself as he reached out a tentative hand to touch the animal that Link had become,  _"I've seen weirder."_  It was true. Once you saw and traveled with a talking boat, you never went back. It made things like this almost seem normal. Almost.

Link didn't react at first when Kid touched his head, but after a few seconds he picked up his ears. Kid instantly noticed that the blue earrings that Link normally wore were present. Link's eyes were the same piercing blue that he'd become so used to seeing, but if he didn't know any better he'd say that they were glowing slightly. Of course, it was only a trick of the light that made them look that way.

"Is it still Link inside?" Tetra asked Midna.

"Yup," Midna nodded, "He's completely aware. It's not like he's suddenly gone feral or something just because he turned into a wolf." With this new information Tetra felt more confident about venturing closer. She gingerly traced the symbol on Link's forehead with her finger making Kid wonder how much the transformation hurt. He couldn't question Link about it at the moment though since he couldn't communicate with him unless he asked yes or no questions.

"Not to rush you or anything, I know you two are still processing this, but can we start moving?" Midna wondered in a bored tone from her perch on Link's back.

"Even though Link's a uh…wolf now," Kid began, hoping he'd said the foreign word correctly, "How does that help us get across?"

"With my help, he can jump really far distances, so the plan is, he will carry you all over on his back one by one," Midna explained and then quickly continued, "Zelda will go first while you guys come to terms with the whole Link's-a-human-but-he-can-turn-into-a-wolf thing."

Wolf Link got to his feet, and Midna jumped off of his back and into the air. Princess Zelda followed Wolf Link as he padded up the big root that they had been standing on before. Kid and Tetra trailed behind, and it was then that Kid noticed the chain around the wolf's front left leg. He had no time to ask about it though, for the princess had already climbed onto Wolf Link's back.

Midna flew over the edge and turned around once she came to hover above the log that served as a small platform. Kid watched in surprise as her already fiery orange hair, glowed brighter and seemed to get bigger. Her hair morphed into a large hand, and she waved it, as if beckoning. The sight was absurd, but after what he'd just witnessed happen to Link, it didn't seem like that big of a deal.

What happened next was even more incredible. Even though the jump should have been impossible, Wolf Link leaped over to Midna with agility and grace that shouldn't have been plausible given his size. Midna then disappeared around the bend, and with another great leap the wolf and princess were lost as well.

Roughly a minute or two later Midna came back into view and Wolf Link followed shortly after.

When they were all on the same platform Midna announced, "Tetra's next."

"Why me?" Tetra wondered, obviously still uncomfortable with Link's new form.

"Well, you  _are_  being hunted by Zant, and if we leave you alone and something comes I don't see that knife of yours doing all that much," Midna replied, her tone somehow teasing and serious at the same time.

"First of all, it's a dagger, and second of all, I happen to be an expert with it," Tetra returned.

"Expertise won't matter if it's a shadow beast," Midna reminded her. Tetra was silent for a few seconds, contemplating her options. Deciding not to risk it she complied and stepped closer to Wolf Link.

"What's up with the chain on his leg?" Tetra questioned Midna as Wolf Link sat down so she didn't have to struggle to get on.

"It's a long story, but I guess I can give you the short version. When Link and I first met he was imprisoned," Midna motioned to the metal cuff around Wolf Link's leg, "I cut the chain so he could move around and find a way out. Then he became my slave. The end." Wolf Link suddenly jumped up in protest to Midna's title for him.

"Whoa! Midna, don't make him mad!" Tetra squeaked in mild fright as she gripped Wolf Link's fur in her hands, so she wouldn't fall off.

"I'm not," Midna assured her, and then advised, "I'd hold on tight if I were you and lean forward a bit; don't want you falling off. It's a long way down." Tetra did as suggested, and Midna flew ahead. Wolf Link backed up a little, and then took a running start. He jumped over to Midna, landing lightly and expertly on the log as if he'd done it a thousand times before. Kid found himself alone a second later as they passed out of sight.

He wasn't lonely for long because Midna and Wolf Link appeared once again, joining him on the nature-made platform.

"Last one," Midna sighed as if aiding Wolf Link in jumping long distances was particularly strenuous, "Climb on, hold on tight, and let's go." Wolf Link lowered himself to the ground again, so Kid had easier access to his back. As soon as Kid was positioned correctly Wolf Link stood up, a bit slower than he had for Tetra, and Kid quickly realized that this wouldn't be like riding Epona.

While Wolf Link wasn't nearly as big as the horse, he was big enough that Kid couldn't touch the ground while the wolf was standing. Kid buried his hands in the soft fur on the nape of Wolf Link's neck since it seemed to be the only place that would provide a decent handhold. He grasped the fur there lightly, not wanting to cause Wolf Link discomfort.

Midna went ahead of them, and got in position encouraging them to jump over. Kid leaned forward a bit, remembering how Midna had instructed Tetra to do that earlier. Instead of moving forward or backing up to get a running start, Wolf Link turned his head slightly, so he could see Kid a bit.

' _You have to hold on tighter than that,'_ a voice informed him silently. The voice in his head was not his own. It sounded like Link's which proceeded to freak him out.

' _I'm imagining things,_ ' Kid tried to convince himself as he tightened his grip. As soon as he did so Wolf Link turned his attention back to Midna. Okay, so maybe he wasn't imagining things. It was then that he realized it must be because of the Triforce of Courage that he could understand Link in his new form while no one else could. An unwelcome notion squirmed its way into his head. If Link could be changed into a wolf because he possessed the Triforce of Courage then did that mean that, if touched with the Shadow Crystal, Kid could be transformed into a beast too? Kid hoped that Midna never found out he had the Triforce of Courage as well. He had a feeling that she wouldn't hesitate to use the crystal on him if she knew.

Kid felt Wolf Link tense beneath him, preparing to jump. When they did jump over to the beckoning Midna and her magical hair, Kid found himself holding on even tighter as they seemed to glide over to the log. Midna got out of the way and flew over to the next foothold. This one was a bit smaller than the first.

' _Ow, not that tight,'_  Link's voice complained in his head. He immediately loosened his grip, and Wolf Link looked back at him as if in question. Kid was at a loss for what to do, so he just smiled innocently, and that seemed to satisfy the wolf.

Wolf Link leaped over to Midna, and she glided towards their next destination. They turned and jumped onto a longer portion of land. Up ahead was a bridge angled away from them. Wolf Link came to a stop at the edge staring at the wooden bridge.

' _Seriously? The wind decides to change it now?'_  Link's voice sighed in exasperation in Kid's head.

"Well, that's annoying. Guess we have to wait until another gust comes along," Midna commented, voicing Link's thoughts, or what Kid perceived as Link's thoughts since they were most certainly not his own.

Kid instantly thought of the Wind Waker and how useful it would be right now. It was nestled somewhere in his pouch along with most his other items, but he knew that he could not utilize its power here unless it was an absolute emergency, and there was no alternative solution. As it was now, they weren't in a huge rush, so they could spare the extra time.

After a couple minutes a strong gust of wind came and whipped the bridge into position. Midna wasted no time in darting forward and getting in position to help Wolf Link make the jump.

Once they were on the bridge they had to wait another three or four minutes for a strong enough breeze to blow through the area in the correct direction to reposition the bridge. Wolf Link touched down on another piece of land. Looking ahead Kid became more convinced that the place was an obstacle course designed to kill them. A small piece of land was placed between two logs which were suspended from ropes and swaying from side to side like blades. Midna floated over to the small portion of land, creating a third arm out of her hair once again.

"This is the tricky part," Midna announced as she signaled for Wolf Link to follow with her magical hand, "Kid, don't lean forward too much or you'll throw Link off balance, and you'll both be in trouble." Kid took her advice and leaned back a little, still clutching the soft fur at Wolf Link's neck. Wolf Link watched the first log swing back and forth like a pendulum and immediately after it passed by them for the third time he took to the air, landing deftly on the small piece of land Midna had previously been hovering over.

With another great leap Wolf Link and Kid landed in a safer area with land stretching out ahead of them. Wolf Link trotted forward and past a strange looking stone with a hole in the middle of it. They then passed under a natural arch constructed of thick, twisted branches and into another section of the forest where the girls and their forever patient guide were waiting. Kid slipped off of Wolf Link and onto the ground as his eyes drank in the new scenery. The vegetation was thick and immense trees rose up towards the sky. Surrounding them was a wall of aged wood, its veins visible and overgrown with vines. The canopy of leaves above was so dense that even the sun's rays had a difficult time wriggling their way through.

"Are you going to change him back now?" Tetra wondered indicating Wolf Link with a nod of her head.

"Hmmm…" Midna tapped her chin in thought, "I could…or," here she plopped herself down on Wolf Link's back and leaned forward, tugging hard on one of his ears which prompted a growl from him, "I could keep him like this for a while."

"Midna, that is unnecessarily cruel," Princess Zelda admonished the Twilight Princess who just giggled in response.

"What's cruel is you all got a turn to ride him and I didn't," Midna pouted, "Besides, Link's got more sense this way." At this, Wolf Link let out a loud bark of displeasure, glaring at the mischievous imp girl poised on his back. He had obviously unearthed the insult in her little joke.

Midna let go of Wolf Link's ear and straightened herself in her seat. "Alright, let's see where this thing's leading us. Chase that light!" Midna ordered, tapping the wolf's shoulders with both of her hands to prompt him forward. Wolf Link started walked over to the ball of fused goddess tears with a bit of reluctance. It moved ahead of him once he was almost below it, and he quickened his pace. Kid, Tetra and Princess Zelda trailed behind the beast and his rider as the sphere of silver and white guided them through the confusing, yet beautiful, forest labyrinth.

The orb led them to a clearing with large, crumbling and broken walls encircling the area. Kid inferred that the place used to be a building before age, weather, and goddesses only knows what reduced it to ruins. Rocks were also strewn around the once grand area. Kid, Tetra and the princess preferred to use the vines that grew off to the side to climb most of the way down before being forced to drop the several remaining feet while Wolf Link chose to simply leap off of the ledge to the leaf covered ground below.

Still the ball of silver light continued to move forward, and the group of five had no choice, but to follow.

"We can't be far now. There isn't much back here," Midna observed, as they were led up a narrow grassy slope and into another clearing, this one more expansive than the previous.

As if encouraged by Midna's words to move faster Wolf Link dashed ahead with a bark, catching Midna by surprise and forcing her to hold on tighter. The silver orb glided to the right, faster than before, heading towards a doorway.

Without warning large black and red crystals appeared and touched down on the ground in sync. A red barrier connected all of the oddly shaped posts, trapping Wolf Link and Midna inside. A black portal with sharp edged red runes appeared in the sky, dropping Shadow Beasts into the arena.

"Hey! Who invited you guys to the party?" Midna questioned the seven shadow beasts surrounding them almost as if she respected an answer, "I don't appreciate party crashers."

Wolf Link had dropped into a fighting stance as soon as the barrier appeared and was now glaring at the Shadow Beasts. Kid immediately wondered how Link was supposed to fight in his new form. He couldn't use a sword so cutting them all down at once would be impossible. Midna apparently had a solution to this problem. Kid watched in shock and awe from the sidelines as Wolf Link tensed up, and Midna formed her hair into an arm again. This time she held it high in the air, the hand unmoving as if waiting for the opportunity to slam it down. Around the two appeared a large, dark circular energy field, teeming with what looked like red electricity.

Wolf Link moved slowly as he captured all the Shadow Beasts in the circle and ominous red light crackled around their bodies. Once all seven had been touched, he lunged forward, leaping from one, to the next, to the next, and so on until he'd ended each one's life in swift succession. When he landed on his feet Kid thought that the barrier would lift, but it did not.

The ear-splitting screech of a Shadow Beast cut through the air, causing Kid to cringe along with his companions. In the arena, Wolf Link stood tense, his ears flattened to his head while Midna practically laid on his back, burying her head in his fur as if it'd help block out the terrible noise.

The seven defeated Shadow Beasts were resurrected. The closet one took a swipe at Wolf Link, who barely dodged in time.

"How did we miss that one?" Midna wondered in annoyance as she glanced at the lone Shadow Beast near the ruins of some kind of abandoned structure. Wolf Link raced towards it, leaving the other seven Shadow Beasts to their own devices. Fortunately, the Shadow Beasts weren't big on the custom of pursuit, and Wolf Link could get away from the group without an issue. Wolf Link was now closing in on the unsuspecting Shadow Beast and leapt into the air, meaning to tackle it. However, right before he would have made contact a barrier of red flashed between them and sent him flying back. Midna was ejected from her seat with a startled cry and tumbled in the air a couple times before righting herself.

Wolf Link gingerly picked himself up from the ground, appearing to check himself over for injuries. Midna flew over to the wolf and lowered herself onto his back.

"Shake it off," she told him, patting his side as if in encouragement, "We'll have to go around. You should have known better. You can't just go rushing into things, stupid wolf." Midna said this with a playful grin. Wolf Link ignored her comment and ran to the other side of the collapsed structure, passing through an archway and disappearing out of sight.

"Where are you going?" Princess Zelda inquired, her tone unidentifiable. Kid turned his attention to his right where Tetra stood a few feet away.

"I'm going over there to see better," Tetra answered, pointing towards the doorway flanked by two strange looking statue sentries that their guide had disappeared into, "Once Link starts fighting that thing we won't be able to see any of the action. Are you coming?"

"I'll come," Kid agreed, realizing that he didn't want to miss any of the battle either. Even if they couldn't physically do anything to help, at least they could cheer him on.

"I have a fine view here. You two go on, but be careful. Don't touch the fence."

"Like you have to tell us twice," Tetra smirked, "Link just gave us an excellent example of what not to do." Tetra motioned for Kid to follow her, and the pair ran around the outskirts of the red barrier. Most of the clearing was now an arena, but there were some parts that were not included. The small staircase, if it could be classified as such, leading up to the cleanly cut stone arched doorway was excluded while its protectors were trapped.

As she neared the steps, Tetra slowed and pressed close to the moss covered stones that made up the wall, wary of the fence to her left. She climbed over the small sloping railing and glanced back at Kid, gesturing for him to hurry up.

Kid made it through the small gap between the harmful fence to his left and the ancient stonework to his right. He climbed over the railing in the same manner that Tetra had. When he moved to get off of the solid railing and onto the step, he caught sight of the congregation of tears waiting at the foot of white marble stairs just a few feet ahead. Kid slid off of the railing, and then turned to Tetra, tapping his friend on the shoulder to get her attention.

"What?" Tetra sighed, focusing her attention on him rather than the battle.

"Look," he instructed her, pointing to the silver ball of light. Tetra stepped away from the fence and towards the orb while Kid watched her. When she reached out to grab it the sphere floated halfway up the steps, enticing them to follow.

"Come on, let's follow it the rest of the way," Tetra suggested, waving him over.

"But didn't you want to see Link and Midna fight?" Kid queried, confused at her sudden change of interests.

"I did, but they obviously have it handled, and we can't help them anyway." Tetra declared as if it was common knowledge, "Besides, aren't you curious?"

Kid bit his lip and glanced back at the battle. From what he could see Link had just managed to fell the Shadow Beast and was heading back the way he'd come to do away with the rest. There wasn't much of the battle left to see anyway, and his curiosity was almost suffocating.

"Alright," Kid relented, jogging over to Tetra, "but if it takes us too far we're waiting for everyone else."

"Don't worry, it can't take us much farther," Tetra assured him as she began to ascend the steps. Kid and Tetra hurried up the staircase, chasing the pulsing orb. When they made it to the top Kid found that Tetra had been correct. Their guide really couldn't take them much farther, for they now stood in a clearing, remnants of columns and walls scattered along the edges. Green hedges and tall, scrawny trees sprouted around the border of the clearing. Kid, however, was more focused on the pedestal and sword towards the rear.

The silver sprite leading them seemed to take an interest to the sword as well and danced its way over to the pedestal. Kid and Tetra trailed behind it and became surprised when it darted away from them for the last time. It flew up high into the air and circled above the sword four times, as if in celebration of rediscovering a lost friend, before it hurtled downwards and disappeared into the pommel of the sword.

Kid knew it was the Master Sword instantly. The hilt's color and design was exactly as he remembered it, and the blade itself was a shining silver. The weapon brought back memories both good and bad. He'd always thought that given the chance to touch it again, to wield it, that he wouldn't take it. Yet as the opportunity presented itself Kid felt compelled to take it even though he knew he shouldn't, especially under the circumstances.

Beside him Tetra eyed him wordlessly, probably guessing what he was thinking. She happened to be very good at that. A triumphant shout from Midna and a wolf's howl alerted the pair to their companions' victory. This was it. If Kid was going to take it, he had to do it now.

Kid stepped forward and grasped the hilt first with his right hand, and then hesitantly added his left. Beneath his fingertips he felt the sword pulse. He thought that he saw a pale purple light engulf the sword as well, but it could have just been a trick of the sunlight filtering in from the side, creating a dramatic setting. He took a deep breath to compose himself, and then pulled upwards.

The sword slipped free easily, and he found himself holding the sacred Master Sword in his left hand once again. Suddenly the sword flashed with a bright purple and blue light. A form leap out of the blade, flipping gracefully into the air and landing in front of him, with its head bowed.

Kid let out a startled squeak and fell backwards off of the raised pedestal and onto the hard ground. Before he could recover the figure, which was most definitely a woman, was hovering above him, her light blue face disturbingly close to his own. What shocked him the most was that her facial features were akin to those of the Queen of Fairies. She held him in the most intense, calculating gaze that he'd ever been subject to, which was especially disconcerting on account of the fact that her face seemed to be frozen in a permanent blank stare, as if she was incapable of expressing emotion. He found himself unable to look away, eyes wide and mouth agape in some emotion that he couldn't identify.

The strange woman then uttered in the most impassive voice Kid had ever heard, "Greetings, Master."


	32. Triggering a Crisis

She had known that he was going to pull the Master Sword from the pedestal. She had  _known_  that, so why hadn't she stopped him? Now her gaze was transfixed on the new arrival, who was most definitely female. Her young looking face and stylishly short hair were the same metallic shade of light blue. Tetra thought of herself as more adept than the average person at concealing her emotions, but this woman was truly emotionless from top to bottom. Her eyes bore no pupil and were glassed over with the same color as the rest of her inexpressive face. She wore a formfitting dark purple dress with a large diamond shaped brooch at her neck, the sparkling blue gem nestled inside a gold frame. She appeared to wear some kind of cloak divided neatly into two separate colors that fell in elegant folds over her arms. Only when she distanced herself from Kid slightly could Tetra see that the woman had no arms, and the rippling purple and blue fabric served as the missing limbs. Green straps crisscrossed up the length of the dark hued stockings on her legs and it was unclear as to if she was wearing shoes or if they were part of her stockings.

Tetra and Kid could do nothing but stare at the figure before them as she addressed Kid in the same feminine monotone as before, however this time it seemed that the words that passed her lips were rehearsed, "When you retrieved the sword from the pedestal, I was awakened from my eternal slumber. Upon my waking, the goddess has aroused an aura in my memory. It is now possible to dowse for what you seek."

"Uh…w-what?" Kid stammered in confusion, "I…who are you, why are you calling me 'Master', and err…what does dowse mean?"

"I apologize. I was under the impression that you recalled my personal designation. As this is not the case, I shall once again provide you with it. Fi is the name I was given. While you are not the original Master I have memory of, you are the Master in another life, and I am obligated to address you as such even if you possess no prior recollection of our time together. Dowsing is a treasure-seeking ability of the Goddess Sword, what you may know as the Master Sword, and with it, you can find any object or person that is available for a dowsing target," Fi rambled off the answers to all of Kid's questions in prompt succession.

The information made little to no sense in Tetra's head, and by the look on Kid's face it became apparent that he wasn't having any luck in comprehending Fi's words either.

"It appears you are still perplexed. Perhaps additional information is required to correct your emotional state. I am the servant of the goddess Hylia. Essentially, I am a sword spirit and reside in the sword you hold in your hand," Fi explained, her voice portraying no feeling of any kind.

Kid briefly glanced down at the Master Sword clutched tightly in his left hand and then back up at Fi. "So…you're the spirit of the Master Sword?" Kid questioned, attempting to make some sense of the information she was giving them.

"Affirmative," Fi inclined her head slightly in what Tetra interpreted as a nod.

"And I'm your Master because…" Kid trailed off, hoping Fi could provide him with the rest of the sentence.

"You bear the Triforce of Courage and the spirit of the hero," Fi finished for him.

"Right…" Kid nodded slowly, as if replaying the words in his head to make better sense of them. It was then that Tetra noticed the Triforce symbol was standing out on Kid's left hand, shining fiercely like a beacon. Thankfully the fragment of the Triforce of Wisdom around her neck did not react, but that hardly mattered. There was no way their companions weren't seeing this right now. Tetra couldn't bring herself to confirm this though and kept her eyes trained on the sword spirit, trying to come up with something to say. Anything to take some attention away from Kid.

"You say that you are the servant of the goddess Hylia," Tetra began, silently hoping that Fi would speak to her as well, "but we don't even know who Hylia is. Could you tell us?"

To her surprise and relief, Fi turned her unchanging gaze on Tetra and said, "I calculate that much must have transpired in the time my consciousness was sealed within the Master Sword if the goddess's identity has been forgotten. I believe I can provide you with adequate information on her. Originally, she was a divine entity, the youngest sister of the goddesses, Din, Nayru, and Farore. After her elder sisters had departed the world they'd forged, Hylia was charged with the task of protecting the Triforce. One day the earth split open, and the Demon King, Demise, and his demonic hordes came forth, intending to make the world their own by taking the holy relic for themselves.

To prevent the power of the Triforce from falling into the Demon King's hands, Hylia gathered the surviving humans on an outcrop of earth with the Triforce and sent them skyward, beyond the evil tainting the Surface and beyond even the clouds. The goddess then joined forces with the five tribes who inhabited the Surface, and together they waged a war with the demons. Hylia managed to seal away Demise, but in doing so she suffered grave injuries. With the knowledge that the seal would not contain Demise's immense power and his freedom would mean the destruction of the land, she came up with two plans to eradicate the Demon King. Her first plan entailed creating me with the purpose to assist her chosen hero throughout his journey. The second consisted of a great sacrifice. Hylia decided to abandon her divinity and her immortal form in order to transfer her soul to the body of a mortal, so that she could one day use the ultimate power her sisters had created.

Hylia is now known by various names. 'The Goddess' and 'Her Grace' are most likely no longer used. I predict that you now refer to her as: 'Zelda'." The startled gasp from behind her barely registered in Tetra's mind which was suddenly drowning in thoughts with Fi's explanation. Zelda. As in  _Princess_  Zelda. As in the Princess of Hyrule. As in… _her_.

Tetra knew that she had probably turned five shades paler just from that news. Being told she was a princess of a forgotten kingdom was enough to make her go crazy. Now, being told that she was a goddess was more than enough to break her completely. She didn't know what she wanted to do. Breaking down and crying seemed like a logical response, but her eyes remained dry. Fainting would have worked too, and although she felt light-headed, it was simply because of all the thoughts running around her brain, becoming entangled in each other until she couldn't tell the difference between the beginning of one and the end of another. Her voice refused to cooperate, as well as her limbs, so she remained silent, standing completely still as her head filled itself fit to burst with information both new and old.

One minute she was Tetra, the next Zelda, and the next  _Hylia_. The only thing all the names had in common were that they'd all been forgotten. Hylia was a forgotten goddess, Zelda was the princess of a forgotten kingdom, and Tetra had forgotten who she was. Was she even a pirate anymore? She might have been able to make Pirate Princess work, but Pirate Princess, secretly a goddess turned mortal? She didn't think she was capable of dealing with all of those titles at once. They were too different, each one with more responsibilities than the last, and picking one didn't seem to be an option.

A startled cry from behind temporarily snapped her out of it, and Tetra whirled around on her heel to look, hand instinctively resting on the hilt of her dagger. She was utterly shocked when she was greeted with the sight of a multitude of monsters, ranging from small to large, making their way closer. Zelda and Link, who Midna had still neglected to change back to normal, now had their backs to them in fighting stances.

"Where'd all these guys come from? The place was just empty!" Midna exclaimed eyeing the monsters with disgust. She was right. Something was off.

"Master, I predict there is a 95% probability that awakening me is responsible for these monsters' abrupt appearance." Fi announced.

"How?" Kid breathed in surprise as he watched the horde of monsters draw closer.

"When my previous Master defeated Demise, the Demon King's consciousness was absorbed into the Master Sword where I, in my sleep-like state, guarded it. As long as I was asleep, so was he. Now that I am awake, my data suggests that the remains of his essence has escaped," Fi replied. Her tone of voice neither suggested that this was a good nor bad thing. However, Tetra knew that it was a  _very_  bad thing. If she'd been able to speak without her voice shaking she would have yelled at Kid for being so stupid. Yet, wasn't it her fault for not stopping him? Wasn't all of this her fault? She'd been the one to find the treasure map. She'd been the one to insist on following it, dragging not only Kid into it but Medli, Makar, and poor little Aryll too. Now they were facing an army of who knows how many monsters and besides that they'd just unleashed an ancient  _Demon King._ Things couldn't get much worse.  _'Yes they can,'_  she realized,  _'Link and Zelda won't let this one slide. We probably already have one hundred questions to our names.'_

Fi flipped into the air and became a ball of bright light before she disappeared into the Master Sword. An ornate sheath appeared on Kid's back and he stumbled forward with the extra weight, hastily trying to remove his other sword and sheath.

Midna flew over to them, her eyes asking a thousand questions. However, all she did was snap her fingers, and Kid's old sheath and sword disappeared from his back in a flurry of twilit particles. "I'll hold on to these for now, but as soon as this is over you're giving Link the sword and explaining," Midna informed him. Before he had a chance to reply she returned to her post on Wolf Link's back and stated, "Link and I'll go ahead to clear a path, you guys follow up the rear, got it?" Tetra, Kid and Princess Zelda nodded in comprehension. Satisfied, Midna and Wolf Link charged forward into the horde of enemies. Midna used her third arm to whip around the monsters surrounding them, crushing some, knocking the wind out of others as she brought the large orange hand down. Princess Zelda charged ahead as soon as the pair disappeared down the steps. Kid was suddenly animated upon seeing this, but Tetra didn't move an inch.

Noticing that she wasn't following him, Kid turned back.

"It's okay; don't think about it," Kid attempted to reassure her, reading her thoughts like a book.

"How can I not?" Tetra asked, her voice sounding small and distant even to her own ears. It was just like the time she'd been told she was Princess Zelda. She felt detached from herself. Back then she'd had the luxury of being in a quiet room all by herself, but now, being forced into a battle, she wasn't sure she could do it. She was in too much of a daze to fight.

"I don't know," Kid admitted, "but just try." Taking her hand in his, Kid declared, "You don't have to fight, but you can't stay here either. Come with me; I'll protect you." Protect her. That was all he'd ever done and for what? For this? For getting lost in some foreign place and battling dozens upon dozens of monsters? She didn't voice these thoughts. Instead, she let herself be led slowly then more quickly, until they were running, down the marble steps and out of the arched doorway and into the clearing where they both stopped dead.

Stretching out in front of them was an entire legion of monsters, almost none of them familiar, and some only vaguely so. Their companions were spread out across the area, fighting fiercely amongst the sea of monsters.

"Stay close," was all Kid said before releasing her hand and taking out his shield. He then ran into the fray with Tetra close behind. She had her dagger drawn, but didn't think she'd be able to use it. Not now. Not when her thoughts were eating away at her sanity. Rational parts of her screamed to drop the weapon and run. Flight over fight, but her traditional nature made her grip the small blade tighter. She couldn't shut down. This wasn't the time nor place for it.

"What  _is_  that?!" Kid exclaimed, backing up as he held his shield in front of him, eyeing an overweight red monster in surprise and disgust. It wielded a large spear and square metal shield.

"This massive monster is known as a Moblin," Fi explained, suddenly appearing from the sword, "My calculations conclude that the best course of action to take when battling one, is to use Skyward Strikes to attack from a distance. As its shield is quite large, it is possible to climb over it as if it were a wall. However, given your diminished size, I calculate a 50% chance of this strategy succeeding."

"Uh…thanks Fi," Kid acknowledged the sword spirit as she disappeared once again. After a couple seconds Kid exclaimed, "Wait! What's a Skyward Strike?!" Kid and Tetra were forced to roll out of the way of the Moblin's long spear as it took a swing at them, and Fi reappeared, an endless dictionary of information, "A Skyward Strike is executed by raising the sword skyward and releasing the energy gathered when it reaches its zenith."

Kid raised his sword, pointing it towards the sky. Tetra watched from behind as a light started at the tip of the sword and traveled down the blade at a steady pace. In just a few seconds the blade flashed briefly with the same light. It glinted faintly in a pale purple hue. With no knowledge as to how to use it Kid took a gambit and slashed downwards, cutting the empty air in front of him. They were both surprised when a beam of lavender light escaped the sword, traveling towards the strange-looking Moblin, who was too slow to move its shield to block the ranged attack. It hit the bulky monster's side which provoked it to let out a grunt of pain.

"It shoots laser beams now?!" Kid wondered, regarding the sacred sword in his hand incredulously, "Sweet!"

"Do it again, Kid," Tetra ordered him, "Focus on that monster, I'll deal with the others."

"Tetra, are you sure?" Kid questioned, glancing back at her in uncertainty.

"Yup," Tetra nodded at the same time that her mind screamed no. She wasn't sure. In fact, she was convinced that she wouldn't be able to do much, but she knew she had to try. She couldn't let Kid do everything because goddesses above knows that he couldn't. No amount of courage would protect him. Only she could.

That is why she turned her back to him, focusing her stony gaze on the few unfamiliar Bulblins that had taken notice of them. There were at least five, none exactly the same as the other. The closest monster, a green skinned creature with a hammer rushed at her, intending to do harm. It swung its weapon, aiming for her head. Tetra ducked and rolled forward kicking it in the chest and sending it stumbling back. She got to her feet and jumped over a machete aimed for her legs. She thrust the dagger in her hand forward and pierced the monster's red skin. It shrieked, backing away from her. It then produced a horn she'd failed to notice it carrying. A low humming erupted from the curved horn as the creature filled it with air, and she took advantage of its distraction, using her dagger to reap the air from its lungs and silence it for good. However, the damage had been done and the reinforcements it'd called for swiftly arrived from out of nowhere.

Tetra now found herself surrounded by the creatures, separated from Kid who was engaged in battle with the Moblin a few feet away while he tried to keep blob-like enemies, which reminded her vaguely of Chuchus, at bay. Taking action, Tetra moved toward the closest Bulblin, and raised her dagger to strike it. To her amazement, the blue skinned creature grabbed her wrist and squeezed, jerking it to the side, so she was not only forced to drop her dagger but throw it a short distance away. Since when were monsters smart?!

Looking past that, she twisted out of its hold and ran to retrieve her dagger, fearlessly pushing past the monsters penning her in. She was almost to her dropped weapon when she felt a forceful tug on her right ankle. The next thing she knew she was flat on the ground with a throbbing jaw. Even though she knew it was futile, she tried to grab her dagger which was tantalizingly out of reach. Tetra kicked out in an attempt to free herself but missed her target. Her attempt did not go unnoticed and she only succeeded in making the monster angrier and thus dig its claws into her ankle as it pulled her farther away from her treasured dagger.

As it made to lift her up in the air, Tetra managed to kick the creature with her free leg, and it dropped her with a strangled cry as its hands flew instinctively to its face. Tetra scrambled to her feet, ignoring the flicker of pain in her right ankle, and quickly retrieved her dagger. She then whirled around to face her assailants, weapon held defensively in front of her.

Somehow she managed to defeat the enemies, and Kid regrouped with her, profusely apologizing for being separated in the midst of battle. The pair then pushed ahead through the army of monsters. Even with the casualties the monster army had suffered it didn't appear that the odds were evened in the slightest. Monsters of all shapes and forms inhabited the battle field, some fighting, others impatiently waiting their turn as if it were a popular game that everyone wanted to play. A game without rules or guidelines of any sort. A full out blood bath with no clear goal other than to kill.

Kid and Tetra intended to take out the most gruesome looking monsters in hopes that if they defeated the correct one the rest would be called off. They headed towards the ruins where a dragon-like monster with three heads encased in bone swayed back and forth, awaiting its turn to battle.

"Fi, what's this monster, and how do I fight it?" Kid asked, drawing up short of the creature and glancing at the sword spirit that materialized out of the Master Sword upon hearing his voice.

"Staldra is a snake monster from before the dawn of time. Three bone-plated heads and a thirst to cause pain keep it writhing even beyond death. My analysis shows that to defeat this cursed snake, all three of its heads must be simultaneously destroyed," Fi helpfully supplied, disappearing as soon as she'd finished delivering the information.

Kid stepped forward, attracting the attention of the Staldra. It's electrifying blue eyes flashed a dangerous shade of crimson and its heads lunged, hungry for blood. Kid backed away and then raised his sword upon seeing all of the heads align. He slashed horizontally and sliced off two of the three skulls. Kid distanced himself as the creature reared back, regaining its severed heads in seconds.

His following attempt was successful and the headless Staldra collapsed on the ground, disappearing in a puff of purple smoke. Tetra had noted this change as soon as she'd defeated one of the unfamiliar monsters earlier. No longer were the monsters disappearing in a shadowy substance. Now it was purple which could only mean one thing. The monsters were someone else's' creations. They weren't Zant's anymore.

A sudden motion in her peripheral vision alerted her to the presence of an object flying towards her. She side stepped out of the way and looked down. An arrow. Tetra peered up in the direction the projectile had come from. Perched on top of the ruins, on what once served as a railing but was now crumbling away, were six Bulblin archers.

"Kid, look," Tetra said, pointing out the enemies.

"Uh oh," Kid stated as soon as he saw the archers.

"What do you mean 'uh oh'? You have your bow don't you?" Tetra questioned him.

"Well, yeah, but I only have three arrows left," Kid confided as they both stared up at the enemies readying their bows. Tetra's eyes flicked to the arrow at her feet.

Picking it up, she turned to Kid, "Now you have four."

"But there's six of them," Kid protested, eyeing the arrow in her hand.

"So? We'll wait for them to fire again, and then we'll have more ammo," Tetra declared.

"You're a genius," Kid said, smiling as he took the arrow from her and dug out his bow and quiver. The six Bulblins let their arrows drizzle down on the pair before Kid was able to ready his weapon. Kid and Tetra huddled under Kid's shield as best as they could. All six arrows bounced off the metal, their flimsy wooden shafts breaking upon contact. Tetra suddenly noticed how dangerous her idea was. They wouldn't be able to protect themselves with the shield if they wanted to use the arrows their enemies bombarded them with.

Kid dropped his shield as soon as the assault was over, notching an arrow and pulling back the bowstring in a matter of seconds. After taking careful aim he released the arrow and it buried itself in the head of one of the archers which died instantly. Kid managed to kill one more before another Bulblin dared to take a shot.

In this short period of time Tetra's mind had wandered of its own accord back to her previous thoughts. She wasn't even aware of spacing out. One moment her eyes were watching, yet not registering the arrows that her friend released towards the sky, the next a projectile was cutting the air on a straight, unwavering path towards her.

Numbly, she watched in a daze as the arrow traveled closer. Before she could make a decision about what to do, Kid tackled her to the ground.

"You alright?" Kid asked her as he sat back on his heels, allowing her to sit up. Her confusion temporarily retreated, and she was now focused on the current moment.

"Yeah, I'm-Kid your head!" Tetra suddenly gasped upon noticing the long gash slicing across his temple, already welling up with blood. The arrow must have grazed him.

"I'm alright," he assured her as he stood up, using the back of his hand to wipe away the crimson liquid that was trickling down his head. If only she wasn't so spaced out worried about her identity, she would have been able to dodge it on her own, and he wouldn't be hurt. Kid acted as if he wasn't even injured and let loose another arrow towards the Bulblin archers. However, his aim was off and the arrow missed the Bulblin's head by inches.

"Give me that," Tetra demanded, grabbing the bow and last arrow from Kid's hands despite his protests. She aimed at the Bulblin that Kid had failed to hit. The creatures happened to have their bows trained on her as well, ready to fire. She waited until they loosed the projectiles and deftly dodged them all before letting her arrow fly. It struck her target in the shoulder which cause it to immediately disappear into purple vapor. Tetra then swiftly picked up a fallen arrow, notched it, and aimed at the next monster. Before she could send it towards its destination she was yanked backwards off of her feet, dropping the weapons in her hands.

She was about to shout for Kid to help her but noticed that he was busy battling an enormous spider as Fi showered him with information about the creature. From what she could tell, some kind of purple and black scaled Lizalfos had her in its grip, squeezing her tight as if trying to squeeze the breath from her lungs. After a few seconds it became apparent that that was exactly what it was trying to do, and Tetra struggled in an attempt to free herself.

Tetra used one arm to keep the creature from crushing her as she reached for her dagger with the other. The monster put its other hand to her throat in response. Why it didn't just kill her, she didn't know. It seemed to be deliberately trying to subdue her without injuring her too much. The scream that escaped her was quickly cut off as the creature choked her. Black ringed her vision.

A deep growl sounded from behind, and her captor threw her forward. She suddenly found herself flying towards the ruins, which were probably steps at one time or another but were now heaps of broken stone. Tetra put her hands out in a futile attempt to catch herself, or at least minimize the amount of damage she was about to take. It didn't do much to stop her head from banging into the debris. Black consumed her vision for a second. Maybe it was two seconds, or even a minute. She wasn't quite sure, but upon opening her eyes she saw stars. Her vision swam and she closed her eyes to try to make her them focus on what was in front of her.

"Tetra!" Kid's voice sounded unnecessarily loud, but he didn't seem to be yelling since she felt that he was right next to her, a hand on her shoulder. She allowed her eyes to open and, ignoring the spots of color dancing across her vision, turned her head slightly, so she could see Kid. He was kneeling down next to her, face etched in concern and blood running down his temple in rivulets.

Fi suddenly appeared without being called and calmly reported, "Three in our party are injured and require medical attention at the earliest opportunity. Master, I predict a 98% chance that victory is nonviable given the current circumstances. I highly recommend a prompt retreat from this battle."

"That sword spirit girl is right! We can't keep going like this," Midna added as she knocked aside an approaching monster with her hand of hair. It was then that Tetra noticed Wolf Link and Midna were with them, standing protectively in front of the pair and keeping the monsters at bay. They must have been the ones that made the Lizalfos release her. Tetra was about to ask who else was injured since, as far as she knew it was only Kid and herself, but then she glanced at Wolf Link and noticed that he was favoring his front right leg as he stalked a monster.

"Where will we go?" Kid questioned Midna as he helped Tetra sit up a little.

"Good question. Unfortunately, I don't have the answer," Midna replied, "Even if we managed to escape this area I'm sure there'll be more monsters waiting for us. None of us are really fit to fight. You three are wounded and Zelda and I are exhausting our magic the longer this goes on." Wolf Link let out a bark, irritating Tetra's developing headache.

"Link, you know I can't understand you, and I don't have time to change you back right now!" Midna snapped at him, launching herself off of his back and into the air as she created a ball of crackling red and black energy and released it towards the nearest foe. She then glanced behind her and ordered, "Link, you can't fight properly with a hurt leg. You'll only get hurt worse if you try. Stand down, I've got this."

Wolf Link reluctantly backed away from the fighting and carefully made his way over to Kid and Tetra. He let out a concerned whine upon seeing Kid's bleeding forehead, but Kid waved it off and placed his left hand on top of the animal's head. "Say something. I'll be able to understand it," Kid told him.

"What?! You can understand him like that?" Midna exclaimed in shock and wonder as she fought to stay focused on the monster she was battling. Tetra was less impressed. It only made sense. They both had the Triforce of Courage so of course they'd be able to communicate through it somehow.

"Yes, but it only works if I'm touching him," Kid answered Midna.

"Does he have a solution for us?" Midna questioned, never faltering in her attacks. Kid tilted his head to the side as if listening for something, keeping his hand on top of the wolf's head.

After what felt like a long time but couldn't have been more than a few seconds, Kid spoke up, "He says to warp us out of here to somewhere in Hyrule Field, preferably far away from here and not too close to the castle."

"You're not asking for much are you?" Midna scoffed, sarcasm heavy in her tone, "It's hard enough to warp one person without a portal, and you want me to do four?" Midna sighed, flicking a monster aside with her extra limb made of hair, "I'll try since it seems like our only option right now, but I can't promise we won't end up in enemy territory. Besides that, I'm low on magic so this is going to absolutely drain me."

"But you can do it?" Kid wondered. It was unclear if he was voicing his own thoughts or Link's.

"Yes, I can, but we need Zelda over here, so she doesn't accidentally get left behind. I'll go get her, but that means I have to leave you guys. Can you still fight, Kid?"

"Yup," Kid nodded, determination written on his face. Tetra could see him tighten his grip on the decorative hilt of the Master Sword.

"I'll be quick," Midna promised before flying over the heads of the advancing monsters and heading in Princess Zelda's direction. Kid then stepped forward to take Midna's place while Wolf Link hung back, standing in front of Tetra, ready to pounce on any monster that dared to come near them.

"Uh, hey Fi, got any info on this thing?" Kid wondered, eyeing the Stalfos-like monster that was approaching. Tetra vaguely recognized it as the strange, four-armed Stalfos they'd fought earlier.

"This is a Stalmaster, an elite captain of the undead soldiers," Fi explained, "When provoked it has the ability to strike with all four of its sword-wielding arms. I recommend inflicting damage when the slight gap presents itself as it readies its swords to attack."

Kid took Fi's advice and, whether it was less skilled than the previous one or not, he managed to get it to reveal all four of its weapons quicker than seemed possible especially considering his injury. The Stalmaster left no time for celebration and brought all of its weapons close to its body before lashing out. Kid barely lifted up his defenses in time and stumbled back, leaving himself wide open. The Stalmaster thrust forward with one of its swords aiming for Kid's chest.

Without any prior warning a thin blue barrier appeared between Kid and the skeletal monster. The sword bounced off of the shield, and they all turned to see Princess Zelda and Midna. The princess let the barrier fall and Kid scrambled back before the Stalmaster could lash out at him again, retrieving his bow from where Tetra had dropped it and sliding his sword into its sheath.

"Everyone huddle close to each other," Midna ordered them, "It'll be easier for me to warp you that way." All of them gathered near the ruins and Midna closed her eyes in concentration.

The world in front of Tetra blurred to the point where she couldn't made out individual shapes or outlines. Her world was a mass or swirling, fast moving colors. Some unidentified force kept her frozen in one position and she barely felt the presence of her companions anymore. It felt as if she was being raised upwards, but she didn't appear to be moving. Soon the same force gently pushed her down to earth and the array of colors arranged themselves accordingly. Whatever had rendered her immobile previously, suddenly vanished as the world came back into focus.

With nothing to support her, she began to fall back but caught herself before she went too far. Midna looked like a shadow once again and produced the shadow crystal which she touched to Wolf Link's head before slipping into his shadow, presumably to rest.

Human once again, Link stood up as the transformation completed itself and looked around to see just where they were. In Tetra's opinion, it looked like they weren't anywhere specific. Water flowed nearby and Tetra noticed that there was a rushing river in front of them. Mountains and jagged cliffs rose up to their left. To their right was a bridge to cross to the other side of the swiftly moving water. Looking beyond that was a nice view of the top of Hyrule Castle.

It was then that Kid nearly collapsed. Princess Zelda caught him before he hit the ground since she was standing the closest.

"Sorry," Kid mumbled, trying to right himself.

"Don't apologize!" Link exclaimed, "What the heck happened to your head?"

"An arrow nicked me. That's all," Kid replied as Princess Zelda helped him lay down on the grass. Tetra couldn't believe that he'd left out the most important part. The arrow hadn't been meant for him. It had been meant for her.

"Tetra are you alright?" Princess Zelda questioned her, looking over her shoulder, so she could see Tetra.

Surprised by the change of topic, Tetra blinked dumbly for a second before answering, "Yes. I'm fine."

Princess Zelda then turned her attention back to Kid who was thankfully still conscious. She then sighed and announced, "I hate to be the bearer of more bad news, but we left the horses in Faron Woods. Tetra heard Link mutter a profanity under his breath. At first she didn't understand why. Then she realized what it was. It wasn't just that they had no means of transportation. It was much more than that. The horses had been carrying their food, blankets, and, most importantly, their medical supplies.

"I thought you were carrying some other potions and stuff!" Link cried, his voice distraught.

"No. I put the potions I was carrying back in the bag on my horse after finishing the last temple because I didn't think we'd need it," Princess Zelda shook her head, "The most we have in terms of medical supplies are the red potions, and they aren't very effective on a wound like this." Princess Zelda examined Kid's forehead, pushing his golden blonde hair out of the way to see better.

Princess Zelda began searching for something in her cloak. Soon she produced a cloth and pressed the fabric to Kid's head to completely stem the flow.

Tetra's stomach twisted with guilt, and she took up great interest in the blades of grass beneath her. No matter how she looked at it,  _everything_  was her fault. Not just this scenario: being lost in the past, or so they assumed, and hurt besides. The ailments of Kid and his little sister were her fault too. No, scratch that. The ailments of everyone on the Great Sea was her fault. After all, she was the princess, and they were technically  _her_  people. All she'd done was put them in danger and steal from the stupid ones when they weren't looking. Some princess she was. Some  _goddess_.

She wasn't even fit to be anyone's friend. Look what had happened to Kid. He was in pain now because of her. Because they were friends, he wanted her to be safe and got hurt himself. All she had to do was deal with a blow to the head. She'd taken so many by now, she was surprised that they didn't knock some sense into her. Provide her with answers to her long asked questions. Deep down, Tetra knew that her questions had no answers. How could they? No one had been forced to deal with these specific problems of hers, so no one held the answers as to how to handle them. Maybe there truly was no answer. She'd lose either way. Go insane either way, so what did it matter?

If what Fi had said was true, that Hylia was the youngest sister of the golden goddesses, then she hated her sisters. She despised them, loathed them, and detested them for everything they'd done to her. If she was indeed their baby sister then why had they let her throw away her divinity so carelessly? Why had they let her exist as a mortal that didn't know herself anymore? Was she even a person, or a vessel to be filled by whichever soul is needed at that given moment be it pirate, princess, or goddess?

Her temples throbbed from thinking about it, but that didn't stop her mind from spinning. The thoughts just came faster, like they'd been held at bay by a dam and the sturdy wall wasn't as sturdy as it'd appeared. There was too much to hold, and it all came out in an overwhelming rush, crushing everything in its path. All sense, all rationality, every part of her until she felt as if she really was an empty shell.

Tetra wanted to scream and shout and cry how it wasn't fair. It wasn't fair that her mother had died and she was left without a true family. It wasn't fair that she'd been given something to protect with her life, something she didn't even know the origins of. It wasn't fair how she, as a little girl barely aged six, had made a vow to protect that mysterious something. It wasn't fair that the goddesses chose her, no cursed her, with the sacred mark, the Triforce of Wisdom. It wasn't fair how she was a valuable prize to be hunted for the immense power she possessed.

It was then that she realized just what she was. She was a lost little girl with no true name or identity, for she had many and couldn't tell you which was real and which was fake, which was a disguise and which was her true face. Worst of all, she was "blessed" with a power so great that she didn't even know how to use it. All she could do was create arrows of light and without a bow, they were useless and consumed more of her energy than they seemed to be worth.

However, she couldn't scream or shout or cry like she wished she could. Even if she did, no one would help her. They wouldn't be able to even if they tried. She was broken and forgotten about long ago. There was no way that she could be fixed and she knew it. That is why she stayed silent, staring at the blades of grass and envying them for their short, simple lives. When they were trodden on, when they died, they came back brand new, bursting with life as if they'd never been bent out of shape. They always came back perfect. Always…

A simple, high pitched whistling tune consisting of three notes temporarily disrupted her thoughts, though it was not enough to pull her out of her daze. For all she knew, the sweet music was in her head and her ears weren't really hearing anything. Tetra could not decipher if this was true or not, for the melody seemed to grow fainter as it progressed. It was then that she noticed that the individual blades of grass had blurred together until they were a single stroke of green in her vision. She became painfully aware of the throbbing in her head and soon knew no more.

When she awoke next she was instantly disoriented upon being greeted with darkness. As her eyes adjusted she was left staring up at the dark, star speckled sky of nightfall. She barely even remembered nodding off. The air had a brisk feel to it that made her shiver. Tetra then noticed the fabric draped over her and realized that it was a blanket.

' _Where did a blanket come from?'_  Tetra wondered, fingering the soft fabric and pulling it tighter around herself as a fleeting chill passed through the air. She had thought that they didn't have any supplies. Propping herself up on an elbow, she surveyed her surroundings as far as her eyes would allow her to see in the dark. Her vision adjusted enough, so she could vaguely see the shapes of her sleeping companions. She also noticed the dozing forms of the horses a few feet away.

There was no way they'd been able to retrieve the animals while she was asleep, was there? Unfortunately, no one else was awake, so she couldn't inquire about the subject. Instead she laid back down and wished that they had a fire going, not only would it be a reliable source of heat, it would also produce a bit of light for them, but she figured that was exactly the problem. If there was light in the darkness then not only would they be able to see it, but others would as well. A fire was too risky.

Before she knew it her eyes were closing of their own accord, and she drifted off to sleep with far less trouble than she'd been expecting given her chaotic thoughts.

Light greeted her eyes upon waking, and her head didn't ache as much as the night before. Birdsong twittered in the distance, a series of inquiries and their echoed responses. The grass beneath her swayed gently, tickling her bare skin. Deciding, that she didn't like the sensation, she sat up a little. Immediately, she regretted it as the shapes in front of her rippled out of focus. She blinked in vain to correct her vision.

"Tetra, you're finally awake," Link said, relief evident in his voice, "I was worried when you fainted. Ya know, you should have said something when Zelda asked you if you were okay."

"I did. I said I was fine," Tetra mumbled as she regained control over her eyes.

"Just give an honest answer next time," Link sighed, kneeling down next to her. He then pressed an uncorked bottle into her hand, "Here, this should help you." She took it in both hands, not trusting her coordination at the moment, but didn't bring it to her lips just yet. Instead she stared at the blue liquid in the bottle.

Tetra couldn't force down the thoughts that sprang to mind. Even though she'd just woken up, her worries had remained with her, almost as if they had been waiting all night just so they could prey on her in the morning. Now they were closing in and she felt like she'd suffocate. Maybe they weren't even  _her_  thoughts. Maybe they were Zelda's or Hylia's. She couldn't distinguish the difference. Did she even have thoughts of her own anymore, or were they even hers to begin with?

"Tetra, hey, you alright?" Link asked her, squeezing her shoulder in an attempt to get a response. Tetra disentangled herself from the jungle of thoughts and managed a small nod.  _'Get it together,'_  she ordered herself in the sternest internal voice she could muster,  _'Don't make Link think that something's wrong with you. Just drink the darn potion.'_

She desperately wanted to take her own advice but nagging thoughts held her back. Pushing them aside took great effort. Somehow, she managed to corral them, so she could drink the blue potion. It tasted vaguely like some type of slightly sweet, slightly sour fruit that she couldn't name. Nevertheless, it was not an unpleasant taste.

Once the bottle was empty, Link took it from her. She could tell without so much as a glance in his direction that he was watching her carefully and did her best to keep the unwelcome thoughts from barging in to the front of her brain. The medicine began to work a minute later, gradually dulling the pain in her head until it was completely gone. Tetra wished that it would take away her confusion and doubts too, but of course it didn't.

"What's wrong?" Link questioned her, the tone of his voice portraying his concern.

"Nothing just…" ' _Everything,'_  she finished the answer in her head. Everything was wrong. Tetra refused to let Link know that. Sure he was irritating at times but that was just because he was overly protective and didn't understand that she and Kid weren't like other children their age. All in all, Link was a nice enough person she supposed, but she didn't feel particularly comfortable confiding in all her worries and fears with him. It was the same for everyone else she knew, even Kid. None of them would understand completely, so they couldn't help her, and if they could not help her then what was the point in her voicing her feelings?

Tetra knew that she had to finish the thought since Link was waiting patiently for her to continue.

"Kid got hurt 'cause I didn't move fast enough," Tetra admitted. Well, at least it wasn't a total lie. It was one of the things that was bothering her.

"It's okay," Link reassured her, "Kid's alright now, look." She raised her head to see. Sure enough, Kid was curled up on the ground sleeping soundly a little ways away. His bangs hid a thin pink line that was barely visible against his light skin tone. Not a trace of blood lingered.

"How'd he heal that fast?" Tetra wondered.

She only realized that she'd said it out loud when Link replied, "Blue potion. It works pretty well. It even fixed my sprained wrist." Tetra simply nodded, keeping her mouth shut in case any of her other thoughts escaped.

A few minutes later, their dozing companions began to stir. They all began to eat breakfast, which was rationed from the few provisions they had left since, when the horses had made the run by themselves from the heart of Faron Woods to their current location, monsters had grabbed some of the bags in passing. From what Tetra understood, Link had called Epona with a special song, and it was just by pure luck that Zelda's horse had followed suit.

As they ate it was only natural that the dreaded conversation came up.

"So, mind explaining about what happened yesterday at the Sacred Grove?" Link wondered. The way Link introduced it so casually made her want to slap him, but she restrained herself, knowing that it wouldn't solve anything.

"Well, when you and Midna were fighting the Shadow Beasts, Tetra and I ran around to where those statues were, so we could see better," Kid started to explain, "We noticed the goddess tears we'd been following before had stopped at the steps. We thought that it couldn't be much farther, so we continued to follow it and it went into the Master Sword. Then I pulled the sword out because…I don't know. I guess I thought that was what we were supposed to do, right? I mean, why would it lead us there if that isn't what we were meant to do?"

"I would like to know how you have the Triforce of Courage," Princess Zelda spoke up.

"Yeah," Link agreed, "I don't know the entire history of the Triforce, but I do know that there's only one, so there can only be  _one_  Triforce of Courage."

"At a time," Kid said, causing confused looks to pass over their elder companions' faces.

"What do you mean by that?" Princess Zelda questioned him. Kid and Tetra exchanged a glance as if asking for the other's verification.

At an almost imperceptible nod of her head, Kid took a deep breath before blurting out, "We're from the future." Those words set off an explosion.

"WHAT?!" their companions exclaimed in unison. Even Midna's shadowy form, popped out of her hiding place in shock.

"How?"

"Tell me you're joking!"

"Are we related then?"

"What's the future like? Is it nice?"

"How far into the future are you from?"

"Are you here on a secret mission?"

"Does this kind of thing happen often to you guys? Is that why you're so experienced?"

The wave of questions kept coming one after another. Tetra couldn't even tell who was asking anymore since they were all speaking loudly to be heard over each other.

"Too many questions!" Kid cried, flopping down on the grass as if the wave of inquiries had physically flattened him to the ground. Their companions got the hint and ceased fire, fidgeting in anticipation.

"For Nayru's sake, have some order!" Tetra glowered, crossing her arms bossily, "We can't answer any questions like this." She intended to answer each question as minimally as possible since she wasn't even positive that they were in the past to begin with.

After a unanimous vote, Princess Zelda began the interrogation, "How did you manage to time travel in the first place?"

"Medli and Makar played a set of music notes we found. We don't know what song it was, and none of us can remember how it went," Kid said, sitting up, "Anyway, after the song ended there was a really bright light, and then we woke up here somewhere."

"Who are Medli and Makar?" Midna wondered.

"Our other companions. They come from the future too," Tetra supplied.

"There's really five of us that made the trip. Me, Tetra, Medli, Makar, and my little sister," Kid added, "The others are waiting for us at the castle.

"Wait if you guys are from the future, and you have the Triforce of Courage  _and_  your name is Link, then does that mean we're related?" Link asked Kid.

Kid contemplated it for a second before answering, "Yes, I think so."

"How far into the future are we talking here?" Midna queried next.

"I'm not positive," Tetra admitted, studying the ground as if it'd give her the answer, "I still haven't figured that one out, but because the Era of the Hero of Time has already passed, then it can't be more than two hundred years, right?" She looked to Kid for confirmation.

"I don't know. You're the history wiz," Kid shrugged.

"I am not," Tetra scowled.

"You are too. You know more than anyone alive seems to," Kid argued.

"Whatever, it's an estimation at best," Tetra sighed, waving Kid's words away, "It could be accurate, or it could be way off. Either way, it doesn't really matter much. Not for us anyway. We still need to get home. Us being here is a mistake and the longer we stay, the longer we risk changing something if we haven't already."

"That said, I suppose you're not going to tell us what your home is like, huh?" Midna commented, disappointment apparent in her tone.

"Nope. I don't want to mess things up," Tetra replied.

"For the record, I think things are pretty messed up already," Kid stated.

"True, but it can get worse," Tetra pointed out. That's how things normally went for them. From bad to worse.

They finished the rest of their breakfast lost in their own thoughts. For Tetra, this meant completely spacing out, so she didn't even realize until Kid poked her in the side that they were getting ready to leave.

Midna had given Kid his sword back, and Kid had, in turn, handed the Master Sword over to Link who currently had it out of its royal blue and gold sheath, speaking to Fi about how to use the dowsing ability. Oddly enough, Fi also addressed Link as "Master".

When Fi disappeared into the sword Link slowly moved it around. Tetra could see a faint light pulsing through the blade as he moved it. The steady pulse suddenly became stronger as he pointed it towards the bridge. Moving past the structure it grew fainter and Link directed it back to the spot it was reacting to. He raised the sword a bit higher and shifted it over to the right a few inches. The Master Sword flashed briefly and kept a strong purple glow that encased the entire blade and beat quickly like an overactive heart.

"So, it's that way," Link announced.

"What exactly is 'it'?" Kid wondered.

"I have no idea." Link stated nonchalantly, causing Kid to laugh. "But it's probably where we have to go next. The next line was something about a castle right?"

"Yeah, but it's not pointing at Hyrule Castle," Tetra said.

"Oh well, we'll see," Link shrugged, sheathing the sword, "I'll check again when we get closer."

They mounted the horses and set off in the direction of Hyrule Castle Town at a brisk pace. Not ten minutes later they encountered monsters. Two pesky Kargaroks flew overhead, while a small group of Bulblins inhabited the ground, waving around their sharp weapons and uttering irksome battle cries.

The enemies on the ground were easily dispatched since they were quite vacuous and ran willingly into the horses' paths, getting trampled in seconds. The airborne monsters were a bit more troublesome. Every time a Kargarok drew too close, the princess's horse became skittish. Tetra couldn't really blame the animal though. The monster-birds were intimidating, especially when they swooped down in an attempt to dislodge the riders from their perches.

Princess Zelda launched a series of controlled spheres of fire at the closest Kargarok, but none of them made contact since she was also charged with the task of keeping her mount under control.

"Guys, go ahead! I'll get them with bomb arrows while they're focused on you!" Link shouted over to them. The horse picked up speed and Tetra found that the ground moved by in a blur when she looked at it. The speed was exhilarating, and she could almost convince herself that the wind hitting her face was a natural ocean breeze.

A loud  _boom_  and an enraged squawk from above caused her to wince and instinctively slouch down lower in her seat. After another explosion sounded a little ways to their left, the animal beneath them slowed, and Tetra sat up a bit straighter. Kid and Link appeared beside them a few seconds later, and their small group continued on.

The next half hour consisted of a bunch of disjointed stops and starts as they confronted monsters, which only seemed to grow in number as they drew closer to Hyrule Castle Town. It was late morning, almost noon, when they finally approached the east gate.

All of them were surprised to find four sentries stationed there, two flanking each side of the large double doors. Everyone dismounted and began to approach the guarded doors that led to the main town in Hyrule. Leading her horse by the reins, Princess Zelda lowered her head, so the hood shadowed her face.

However, this proved to make little difference for the guards inclined their heads respectively towards her.

"Princess, it has been requested that we escort you to the castle upon your return," one of the guards spoke up, standing in a quite formal manner.

Princess Zelda raised her head to address him, "Who issued the order?"

"The King," came the swift reply.

"I see…" Princess Zelda trailed off seeming to be wracking her brain for an excuse to give the guards a hard time. Upon finding none she glanced at the three of them and said, "Do what you have to, then return to the castle. I shall let the guards know to expect you, so there should not be a problem gaining entry."

With that, the princess, along with her horse, were led through the immense wooden doors by one of the guards. The remaining three soldiers, then trained their gaze on the trio.

At first Tetra didn't think that the sentries would let them through. After a small bout of awkward silence one of them cleared his throat and spoke up, addressing Link of course, "You may pass, but if you have business to attend to, I'd keep it brief. There are other patrols walking around town, if they catch you wandering around they will most likely escort you to the nearest hotel since all civilians are supposed to be indoors until further notice."

"If it's shopping you're after, you're better off just going to the castle as the princess said," another one of the soldiers added. "All of the shops are closed for the time being."

The three guards then stepped aside allowing Tetra, Kid, and Link, who was leading Epona, through the great wooden doors.


	33. Story Time

The street was deserted when they walked into town. From what the guards had told them though, Link had not been anticipating anything less. The double doors shut behind them with a slam, leaving Link with the unwelcome feeling of being trapped.

They walked on, suddenly conscious of the noises their footfalls made. Link left Epona at the stables even though there didn't seem to be anyone there.  _'I'll check on her later,'_  he promised himself as he left his beloved mare and joined Kid and Tetra back on the street.

"Where to?" Kid asked, keeping his voice hushed so as not to call unwanted attention to themselves.

Link removed the Master Sword from its sheath and held it out in front of him. It pulsed strongly. Moving it to the left a little caused the reaction to die down, so he directed it slightly towards the right. The sword glowed brighter, and he could practically feel it buzzing in his grip.

"That way," Link declared nodding in the direction that the sword indicated. The trio hurried over to a side street, their footsteps seeming much too loud on the worn cobblestones. As they drew close to the corner, they stopped. Tetra pressed her back against the wall of a building and inched forward, peering around the bend. Her moves were natural, so automatic in a way that made Link believe she did things like this daily.

For all he knew, she did. Maybe that was why they didn't want to talk about the future. Part of him wanted to know and part of him didn't. He was eager to discover what kind of world his descendant lived in. Yet at the same time, he didn't want to hear how terrible it may be. However, Link was glad to know that he and Kid really were related.

For most of his life he didn't have a family. Rusl told him once that he was taken in by the entire village when he was two. Of course, Link had no memory of this and had, especially when he was younger, interrogated everyone on the identities of his parents and what had happened to them. He never got a direct answer from anyone. Whether they knew or not, he could never figure it out. Eventually he gave up on it, realizing that it was a mystery that would probably never be solved. Sometimes he did wonder what it would have been like, growing up with actual parents instead of the entire village posing as his adoptive family.

Now it was different. While Kid wasn't his sibling, Link was still elated to find out that they had the same blood running through their veins, even if they lived centuries apart. It was sort of weird thinking that Kid was technically his however-many-greats grandson since they were only a few years apart in age now.

Link shook himself out of his thoughts just in time to see Tetra sidle away from the corner and turn to them, holding up two fingers.

' _Two guards?'_  Link wondered silently. Kid looked around the corner, taking a little longer than Tetra had. When he retreated, he had a look of annoyance on his face, which was something Link didn't see much from him.

Deciding to take a look, Link peered around the side of the building. Two guards were at the very end of the street, sitting on crates and…eating what Link supposed to be an early lunch. He raised his eyebrows as if to say,  _'Really?'_  By the looks of it, they had just started. This could take a while. Seeing the food made Link conscious of how hungry he actually was. Inwardly sighing, Link drew back from the corner. Going around the other side was not an option, and walking around wouldn't get them anywhere, except maybe caught by a different patrol.

Turning back to his companions, Link saw that they had sat down, leaning against the building. They were obviously prepared for a wait, however, Link noticed that neither of them completely dropped their guard. Once again, Link's thoughts turned to the future. His curiosity demanded answers to all of his questions. Was the country larger than it currently was? Prosperous? Filled to the brim with new inventions he wouldn't be able to wrap his mind around? Or was it the opposite? War wrought and desolate? He was only sure of one thing about the future. It was nothing like it was now. If it was then Kid and Tetra wouldn't mind sharing.

The more his mind wandered, the more he tried to force it onto another topic. By the way Kid and Tetra acted, he could conclude that the future of Hyrule was most likely bad.  _How_  bad exactly, he couldn't decide. Was it mildly bad? End of the world bad?

Link glanced at both children out of the corner of his eye. They acted more mature than he'd expect. Most would be fidgeting with boredom by now, wanting to say something to break the silence. However, they remained still, embracing the silence as taking the time to reflect on things just like he was.

Tetra's blank-eyed gaze began to worry him though. She'd had the same look in her eye earlier. He couldn't pin it down as a specific emotion. Her other facial features remained neutral. It was only her eyes that held emotion, and he couldn't decipher what it was. Sure, she'd taken a small hit to the head, but it hadn't even left a mark. The potions took a while to work, and of course they didn't heal everything, but they did a good enough job speeding up the process.

Link began to wonder if they should have rested more. Maybe she wouldn't be so aloof right now if he'd suggested they stay in Hyrule Field a little longer. Yet, he wasn't even sure rest was the problem. She didn't seem to be very tired. Briefly he wondered if she was scared, but then discarded the notion. What was there for her to possibly be scared of? Okay, so a duo of villains were after her for unknown reasons. That was something to worry about, but he'd protect her. He wouldn't let them touch her, or Kid, for that matter.

He tried to think of what else could be the problem. Perhaps Tetra was mad that their secret had been revealed? Link had problems with this theory though. Tetra certainly wasn't the quiet type. If she was mad, he was sure she'd let you know as loudly as possible. Maybe she wasn't exactly mad, but disappointed? Sad that Link and Zelda now knew where they were from? Or sad that she'd have to eventually explain about the future?

Kid tapped Tetra's shoulder, noticing her strange gaze as well. Instead of giving her a concerned look when she jumped a little and turned to him in silent question, Kid simply gave her a reassuring smile. So Kid knew what the issue was? Link suddenly felt left out. Why couldn't he know too? Was it obvious, and Link was blind, or was it a personal thing? Link chose to believe it was the latter, though he couldn't fathom the reason why anything personal would be bothering her now since the Temple of Din had been pretty personal, and she hadn't acted like this then.

Ten uneventful minutes later, Link took another glance around the corner. He watched as the guards stood up and walked out of the side street, turning to the right when they got on the main market road. Silently praising the goddesses he gestured for Kid and Tetra to get up. Kid did so instantly but Tetra didn't which caused the young boy to grab his friend by her right arm and pull her to her feet, snapping her out of her daze. Now alert, all three of them stole quietly down the side street with Link in the lead, holding the sword out in front of him as if it were a leash and the other end was fastened to the collar of an invisible dog showing them where to go.

It led them to the last place Link would have guessed. Agitha's house or Castle, as the owner called it.

"Why here?" Kid whispered, staring at the front door of the house in doubt. Link simply shrugged, sliding the Master Sword into its sheath. If it pointed at Agitha's house then who were they to doubt it? Though he had to admit it seemed unlikely that the self-proclaimed Princess of Insects could help them in any way at this point.

Nevertheless, he rapped twice on the door, wincing as the noise seemed to echo around the empty street. Almost immediately the door was flung wide open by the bouncy girl, as if it was a perfectly normal day and the residents of Hyrule Castle Town weren't confined indefinitely to their homes due to monsters prowling beyond the gates.

"Hi, Grasshopper!" Agitha chirped, her face beaming as she sized up the group of people on her doorstep. "Lil Grasshopper, you're here too! And you brought your friend!" The ecstatic girl's voice seemed much too loud for the circumstances, and Link was sure that the entire town could hear her.

"Hi, Agitha. May we come in?" Link quickly greeted her, hoping she'd provide them with safety from the soldiers nearby that no doubt had to have heard her excited cry.

"Oh yes! Of course! Come in!" Agitha exclaimed, ushering them in and closing the door behind them.

"So what brings you here?" Agitha wondered, skipping ahead and whirling around to face them.

' _A sword,'_  Link wanted to say, but knew that that would not be an appropriate answer. He opened his mouth to answer her seriously, but Fi suddenly materialized out of the sword on his back, beating him to it.

"Ooh a butterfly!" came Agitha's elated cry as she clasped her hands together in excitement, gazing up at the sword spirit in awe. Link thought he preferred the eccentric reaction instead of the normal panicked one that any other person would have.

"Master, I detect that the aura I collected was that of the tree in the middle of this abode. I suggest hitting it with a Skyward Strike," Fi reported before disappearing in a flash of light.

"What is a Skyward Strike?" Link asked aloud.

"It's a sword technique," Kid informed him, "She taught me how to do it."

After a brief explanation from Kid about how to execute the move, Link unsheathed the Master Sword and raised it towards the sky. Even though he'd been told to expect it, he was still surprised to see a spark of light appear on the tip of the blade and dance its way down to the hilt. The sword then flashed, becoming encased in a strange glow.

Link lowered the sword. His eyes lingered on the glowing blade for a few seconds before he performed a horizontal slice on the empty air in front of him, directing it towards the tree in the middle of the ostentatious room. The streak of lavender that escaped the blade startled him. It struck the tree's trunk, instantly knocking loose any bugs that were clinging to its bare branches.

Instead of damaging the tree like he'd expected, the light spread like a wild fire, passing over every inch of the giant tree. Link nearly dropped the sword in shock when a face began to form in the thick bark.

Fi didn't give them much time to take in the sight, for she appeared once again and stated, "Master, a message from the goddess has awakened in my memory. It is written in the language of the gods of old. Allow me to translate it for you." With this, the humanoid sword spirit took a step forward in the air.

"Chosen ones, I have guided you here from the edge of time to inform you that both of your homes are in danger of collapsing. I apologize for everything. In fact, I've not the words to express my regret. Even as I record this message for you, I wish that this did not have to be. However, I, as well as my chosen hero have been cursed for eternity. Our souls are bound to a predetermined fate that we can do little to alter. There is no way to break free, so we must fight."

Here Fi paused, leaping across the room and starting to dance as she relayed the message, "My reason for bringing you here is to prevent foreseen disaster. Be warned, it's an attempt, not a promise. Both worlds could collapse, or only one could be unfortunate. My wish is that neither has to suffer a cruel fate, or a crueler fate than it has already been dealt.

While I don't know you personally, I suppose that two of you are me in a way. You have my blood running through your veins. The blood of the goddess. The very soul. Yet, that doesn't give you the memories of being Hylia. You won't remember, but he does. He is the one that poses a threat to your worlds. He is the one that you must destroy for good. We could never do it, my hero and I. He proved much too powerful. His Master was the one that forced him into his dormant form where he'd remained until now, waiting, watching, planning for the day the seal would weaken enough, so he could break out. Now he has, and he has a plan. He may be a sword spirit, but don't underestimate him because of it.

I don't know the details of his plan, but from what I do know about him I have devised a strategy of my own that will hopefully prove powerful enough to demolish any scheme he creates. That is why I have brought you all together. Before, the spirit of the hero and the blood of the goddess was not enough to defeat him, but I figured that if I doubled it, doubled the courageous spirit, doubled the divine blood, that there'd be enough power to defeat him permanently.

Setting up the temples was a way of testing you. Testing your individual abilities as well as your teamwork, which will most certainly be needed if this plan is to succeed. Since you have come this far, I am confident that you shall prevail over the darkness. I have faith in you."

Fi twirled closer to her original position, "Master, after analyzing this new information in conjunction to previous data, I can conclude that the goddess Hylia has arranged this course of events for the purpose of defeating the Demon Lord, Ghirahim." With those words, the sword spirit flipped gracefully into the air and took up residence in the Master Sword once again.

Link's mind was racing. None of it made sense. Alright, _some_  of it made sense. He understood how the temples were a test and that Hyrule was in danger because of some evil sword spirit that suddenly broke free, but he could not understand why the goddess had said "worlds". Kid and Tetra were from the future, but it was technically the same world as it was now no matter what had befallen it.

Kid seemed to feel the same way and asked no one in particular, "What's with the 'two worlds' talk? Aren't we still in the same world, just at a different time?"

His response came from the tree which Link couldn't help but stare at as it gave a hearty laugh. "Ah, child," it spoke, "You are not from this world, but rather from a world that runs parallel to this one."

"Who are you exactly?" Link questioned the tree while Kid mulled over the response he'd received.

"I am the Great Deku Tree," the face protruding from the bark announced, "I imagine I was awakened to provide an explanation to possible misunderstandings, though I did not have prior knowledge of the goddess's plan nor of this meeting."

"What do you mean by 'a world that runs parallel to this one'?" Kid asked, recovering enough to formulate a question.

The Great Deku Tree seemed to contemplate how to best answer the inquiry before speaking, "There is only one way to thoroughly answer your question and that is with the story of the Hero of Time."

"We already know that story," Tetra said indignantly.

"Do you? Amuse me then. Tell it to me, word for word. Don't leave out a single detail," the Great Deku Tree instructed.

Tetra was taken aback by his request but began to speak after a second or two, "Well…there isn't much to tell-" The Great Deku Tree abruptly cut her off with a laugh. Tetra glowered at him. Putting her hands on her hips, she demanded, "What's so funny?"

"Isn't much to tell?" the Great Deku Tree chuckled. "Child, there _is_  much to tell! The Hero of Time's tale is a long one. So long even I have trouble condensing it! Though I'm curious to hear how the story withstood the sands of time, I feel that it's vital that you know the true story."

"But he was just a boy that traveled through time. A hero, who cast down evil and saved the land," Tetra argued, "What more do we need to know?"

"If you wish to understand how both worlds came to be, then you need to know the details of the hero's tale. Allow me to tell you the full story, for there is much more to it than you think. Sit children, this may take some time to explain," the forest deity ordered them. Link and his companions made themselves comfortable on the floor. Even Agitha sat down. Link was shocked that the girl was so calm and collected! He knew Agitha to be rather eccentric and lost in her own world at times, but this was different. She paid close attention to the talking tree, choosing to remain in respective silence instead of making conversation like she normally did. It was almost as if the bug princess regarded the tree as her king.

"The boy that eventually became the Hero of Time was named Link. He was born at an unfortunate time, during the Hyrulean Civil War. In an attempt to spare him of the violence, his mother fled to Kokiri Forest, which was, at one time, just beyond the Lost Woods. By whatever miracle, she made it into my meadow. Gravely injured as she was, she entrusted the child to me and passed away soon after.

I took the boy in, as was his mother's dying wish, and he was raised as a Kokiri. Are you familiar with this race?" The Great Deku Tree paused in telling the tale to allow them to respond.

"No," Link replied.

"I've heard the name before," Kid admitted, "But I don't know much about what they were. They looked human, I think, right?"

"Yes, they appear to be Hylian children, and yet that is not what they are. They are spirits of the forest and are ageless. Children that never age if you will. Because of this, a Kokiri can be alive for centuries and never look a day past ten years. Each Kokiri also has a guardian fairy for the duration of their lives.

Since Link was raised as a Kokiri and he was really a Hylian, there were obviously things that set him apart from the rest. He did not have a fairy like the others and believed that he would forever be a child just like those around him.

Sometime in his tenth year, a curse was placed on me by a wicked sorcerer named Ganondorf. I summoned Link by sending a fairy, Navi, to fetch him. Even though I knew my death was certain, I asked him to destroy the curse within me. After he did so, I bestowed upon him the Kokiri Emerald and instructed him to seek out the Princess of Destiny, so they could work together to put a stop to Ganondorf.

I did die, but I was born again as the Deku Tree Sprout, retaining all of my previous memories which is how I am able to recall this even now. The Hero of Time returned to me after his adventures were over and explained to me how he'd collected the other spiritual stones, one of fire, and one of water and entered the Temple of Time using the Ocarina of Time, an instrument the princess had given him as she was fleeing the castle with her nursemaid. He then told me that he'd pulled the Master Sword out of the pedestal of time and was put into a deep slumber that lasted seven years.

When he awoke, he found himself to have the body of a seventeen year old, but his mind was that of his ten year old self. The Kingdom of Hyrule had been taken over by Ganondorf and his followers while he'd been unconscious. The Hero of Time then set out to awaken all of the sages, guided by a mysterious Sheikah who turned out to be the Princess of Hyrule in disguise. Side by side, the two defeated Ganondorf, and the seven sages sealed away the Gerudo King.

Princess Zelda then took the Ocarina of Time from the hero and sent him back seven years, so he could relive the childhood he'd lost. Though well intentioned, the action caused a rift in time. This rift created two separate versions of the same world. As time cannot stop, or rightfully run backwards, in both worlds time continued to flow.

Think of the timeline as a river. From the beginning of time, to the point where the Hero of Time is born, the river runs a straight path. When the Hero of Time was later forced into a seven year sleep the river continued on its linear trail. However, when the Princess of Hyrule sent him back in time this caused the river to split, creating two separate rivers. The Hero of Time could not split himself into two people, and so he only traveled down one of these rivers.

When the Hero of Time was sent back, his fairy companion, Navi, who I mentioned earlier, left. He went in search of her but never did find her. I knew the reason for this but never told him, knowing that he'd be heart-broken. You see, once a fairy has completed its purpose, it disappears. In a sense, it is a way of dying for the fairies. Navi's purpose was to guide the hero on his adventure and while they did become friends during that time, friendship is not a factor in the ultimate fate of a fairy. It could not tie her to life. Navi knew this and left, so he did not have to stand the pain of watching her disappear.

This was not the only thing that bothered the Hero of Time, for he remembered every ordeal he'd gone through before. In particular, he recalled the moment when Princess Zelda had sent him back to his childhood. While he was grateful to her for it, he was also wracked with guilt. Soon after he'd returned, he'd realized just what he had done in agreeing to let the princess send him back. He'd created a world separate from his own where Ganondorf was sealed away. A universe where the King of Evil would someday break free, and this time, there would be no one to stop him. In short, he had created a world only to doom it, and its people, to an eternity of darkness."

"What?!" Link exclaimed, "That's terrible! If he was the Hero of Time, couldn't he have just went back there and fixed everything?"

"No," the Great Deku Tree rumbled sadly, "The Temple of Time was sealed off shortly after his return and he could no longer travel in time the way he did before. It mattered little anyway, for the other world was no longer the same as this one. It was a separate timeline altogether and he could not travel into another timeline even with the aid of the Master Sword.

So you see? There was no time travel that occurred, just skipping of timelines. How you managed that is most likely the work of the goddess."

It was silent as everyone took this information in. Link almost couldn't believe the words his ears were hearing. Was the Great Deku Tree correct? Was the other world, Kid's and Tetra's world, really shrouded in darkness, ruled by…Ganondorf? Yet, it couldn't be true. Not completely anyway. If it really was that terrible then why would they wish to return so badly?

As if to confirm Link's last thought, Tetra suddenly blurted out, "So how do we get home?"

"I do not know the answer to that," the Great Deku Tree replied.

Tetra jumped up from her seat on the floor in outrage. "What do you mean you don't know?! You're supposed to know! That's what the riddle said!"

"Riddle? What riddle, child?" the Great Deku Tree asked.

"The one that the goddess left for us," Tetra said, her hands balled into fists at her sides, "The one that says,

' _Search for your counterparts; one of courage; one of wisdom,_

_And reach deep into the light._

_Reawaken the servant who dreams,_

_Then enter the castle within,_

_And bless an ancient life with light._

_A path shall be opened._

_Only then may you have the means of returning home.'"_

"Wait a minute, that's not the first line," Link objected, standing up also.

Tetra sighed, "Okay, so I might have tweaked the first line a bit, but it means the same thing."

"But what's with the counterpart stuff? That's definitely not talking about your friends," Link pointed out.

"I believe I can provide the answer to that," the Great Deku Tree interrupted them, "Since both worlds exist parallel to each other, time flows the same way. One day here, is one day there."

"So we've really been gone for over a week?!" Kid exclaimed, on his feet now as well.

"Yes," the Great Deku Tree said, "However, let us concentrate on one topic at a time, shall we? Now then, for the sake of eliminating confusion we'll refer to this world as the original and the other one as the alternate world. People in the original world have counterparts in the alternate world. For example, you Link, I assume your name is Link, correct?"

Link nodded in confirmation and the forest deity continued his explanation. "You possess the spirit of the hero according to what I gathered from the goddess's message." Addressing Kid now he said, "I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that your name is Link as well, isn't it?" At Kid's nod, he continued, "You also possess the spirit of the hero. So you see, in essence, you two are exactly the same, but that does not make you the same person. In mind and body, you are both very different. Different life experiences have shaped you both into completely separate people."

"So you're saying that he," Link pointed at Kid, "and I are different versions of the same person?"

"Exactly," the Great Deku Tree confirmed. Link and Kid exchanged an uncertain glance. Link didn't know how to feel about this information. It meant that he and Kid were related, but they weren't family. They were the same person in a way. He supposed it made sense as to why he felt compelled to protect Kid then. Technically, he was protecting himself which, as he reflected on it, seemed selfish. He quickly reminded himself that he was protecting Tetra too, but the reason for this continued to elude him. Could it just be because Tetra was Kid's friend or was there more to it? He felt as if he knew the answer, but he couldn't quite formulate it in his mind at the moment.

"So if Link is the original Link then I guess that makes you the alternate Link," Tetra joked, poking Kid in the side to snap him out of the unannounced staring contest he and Link had been having.

"Hey! That's just an assumption! I could be the original and he's the alternate one!" Kid returned. The two bickered over this for a minute before concluding that it didn't really matter and dropped the topic.

"So does that mean everyone in this world has a counterpart in the other?" Link wondered.

"Though I can't be certain, I would expect that the answer is both yes and no depending on what you consider to be a true counterpart," the Great Deku Tree said, "If a person is born here and is not born in the alternate realm, then that would mean they don't have a counterpart. Yet, if a person is born here  _and_  there and one of them happens to die along the way, then yes, that person technically had a counterpart at some point in time. Then there comes your case which seems to be that you do indeed have a counterpart, but you were born at separate times. So yes you do have a counterpart but for a few years of your life you did not have one."

"So how about my sister, Aryll? Link doesn't have any siblings, so does she not have a counterpart?" Kid spoke up.

"Most likely she does have one, but her counterpart is not directly related to  _your_  counterpart. You must understand that your life is not the same as your counterpart's. It is most likely very different. Of course, that is not to say it can't be similar. Take this as an example. A rich man here could be a poor man in your world. However, they could both be equally miserable, for different reasons of course. Understand?"

"Yeah, I guess," Kid responded, staring at the floor in thought before snapping his head up to look at the Great Deku Tree, "But what about you? I know you have a counterpart because I've spoken with him before, but he's much bigger and lives in a wooded area. Why do you live in a house?"

"Ah, interesting. So you've crossed paths with my counterpart," the Great Deku Tree mused. "I suppose there's no harm in answering your question, but first answer one of my own. Do my little children of the forest exist in your world?"

Kid smiled and nodded, "Yes, they do. They're not exactly Kokiri anymore though. They've taken on different forms and are known as Koroks now. They all live with your counterpart at Forest Haven."

"Forest Haven….A nice name for a home. I would imagine it's as beautiful as the name. Well, thank you. I'm glad to know that my children live on in another life, even if they do so in altered forms.

As for me, I've taken up residence in this house because of a particular event that took place many centuries ago when the Hero of Time was still alive. As I'd mentioned before, he was raised as a Kokiri and even though he knew he was Hylian, he still regarded the forest as his home. A few years after his return, the princess offered him a job as a knight. He leapt at the opportunity and despite being told he could live in the castle, purchased a house in Castle Town.

Meanwhile, Ganondorf's plans had previously been foiled because the Hero of Time and princess had taken action to reveal his true intentions for the King to see. Upon being found guilty Ganondorf was to be executed by the sages. While he was being held in a prison before his execution, the sages had confiscated his sword, which they had then deemed the Sword of Sages just to mock him. The sages made to impale Ganondorf with his own sword, but when they did so it did not kill him. The Triforce of Power kept him alive, and he took back the sword, killing the Sage of Water. In retaliation the remaining sages forced Ganondorf into the Twilight Realm.

This enraged Ganondorf's tribe, the Gerudo. They were a tribe of tan, golden-eyed, crimson-haired women. A Gerudo male was born only once every one-hundred years, and so he would always be their King. Ganondorf was their King at that time, and as far as they were concerned, the band of thieves and murderers that they were, he had been unrightfully banished to a foreign realm. Even worse, the feat had occurred in their homeland, the Gerudo Desert. As you can imagine, they were furious.

The Gerudo sought revenge, but they knew that no matter how experienced they were at killing, they were no match for the full wrath of Hyrule's army should they challenge the kingdom of Hyrule. Instead of revenge, they endeavored to seek a way to survive until their next king would be born. To do this, they sought eternal youth and the only eternally youthful beings in Hyrule were the Kokiri.

I used to tell my children that if they leave the forest, they'll die. However, this is not entirely true. Kokiri do have the ability to leave the forest without consequence, but when they do, people have access to them. People who may think that they can somehow reap them of their youth and instill it in themselves. In this way, they wouldn't just die. They'd be tortured. Having the mind of children, I didn't want to confess this truth to them, so I made up a half-truth to scare them into staying within the forest.

All of them abided by it, and the Gerudo knew that the Kokiri never ventured past the last grove of trees in the Lost Woods. They also knew that trying to get through the Lost Woods unaided was impossible, so they laid a trap to capture the Kokiri. They never went very far into the Lost Woods, but they went just far enough and began to chop down trees. This captured the attention of the Kokiri. As children of the forest, they can tell when something is amiss in the woods, especially if a life is being harmed.

One of the Kokiri took this bait and was killed by the master thieves. Every Kokiri felt this death and was struck with fear. The Hero of Time caught wind of this as well and rushed over to Kokiri Forest immediately. It was then decided that no other Kokiri would venture out of Kokiri Forest and into the Lost Woods for any reason.

However, this proved to do little to alter the ultimate outcome. Unbeknownst to everyone, the Gerudo had managed to capture a Kokiri the same day that they'd killed one. It took some time, but they eventually managed to force the child to guide them through the Lost Woods. The warriors stormed the forest, throwing everything into chaos. The attack was obviously planned for the Gerudo blocked off every exit into the woods and even the path that led to my meadow. At the time that this started to occur the Hero of Time was conversing privately with me, talking about moving me and my Kokiri to a place where he could protect us all.

While we were in discussion, screams rang out from the direction of the village. Before the Hero of Time could run out of my meadow, a little Kokiri girl climbed down from the lofty branches of my previous shell. She was the newest and youngest Kokiri, already notorious for climbing trees and playing alone in my meadow instead of with the other children.

She informed us about what was happening in the village. The Hero of Time was powerless to do anything about it. While he had brought a sword, he knew he stood no chance against the entire Gerudo tribe and most of the Kokiri had already been killed or gravely injured.

Though it was hard for me to do so, I requested that the Hero of Time take me and the last Kokiri away from the forest. I was little more than a sprout at the time, so it was fairly easy for the two of them to uproot me. The three of us then cut through dense trees and into Hyrule Field. The Kokiri girl, took a bit of convincing until she stepped out of the forest, but once she did we continued on to Castle Town where Link planted me in the center of his house.

The remaining Kokiri girl took up residence in the house as well and the Hero of Time went to inform the princess of what had just transpired. In response, the princess ordered him to lead a legion of carefully selected soldiers in two days' time for the Gerudo Fortress.

When he informed us of this mission, I advised him against it. I believed in his abilities but…well, to say the least, I had a bad feeling. Nonetheless, he went anyway, pledging to avenge all those that had died. The Hero of Time never did come back.

The remaining Kokiri and I waited patiently in his house for days, weeks, months, until we finally realized that he would not return. Naturally, I was quite upset. My surviving child of the forest was terribly sad as well. She had enjoyed his company in the two days they spent together before he'd left on the mission. She often-times begged me to create another Kokiri for her to play with, so she wasn't alone. Unfortunately, I could not do so. The magic of the forest, with some prompting from me, was the only way to create new life. Since we were no longer in the forest, I could not create another Kokiri.

Returning to the forest now was out of the question. She couldn't carry me by herself and besides that, she hadn't received her fairy just yet. Now that we were out of the forest, she never would, but because she didn't have a fairy, she'd never traversed the Lost Woods, so finding a way back to what was left of Kokiri Forest was unlikely.

We continued to live in the house, but the girl was extremely curious and friendly besides. Weaving a tale like the last one about leaving the house and dying would not deter her from venturing outside. I wanted to protect my last child, but I also wanted her to be happy, so with the last of the magic from the forest I had in me, I locked away some of her memories and instilled new ones, false ones. I figured that if I made her seem eccentric enough, most people wouldn't give her much more than a passing glance. That isn't to say that I wanted her to shun people. I did not take away her friendliness, but I did redirect it towards other beings, bugs in particular. Of course, after this was finished, I went into a deep sleep, but she had already forgotten about me, the Kokiri, and the Hero of Time, so it mattered not."

"You mean…this house used to belong to the Hero of Time?" Kid wondered.

"Yes," the Great Deku Tree replied, "Though, it didn't look quite like this the last time I saw it."

"So the Kokiri girl…that was…is Agitha?" Link asked, looking to the little girl still on the floor.

"Yup!" Agitha answered him herself, standing up proudly, "I remember all of that now."

"So you knew the Hero of Time?" Kid questioned her.

"Yes, I knew him," Agitha said, looking a bit sad as she said so. "He was really nice and like a big brother to me, even if we were only together for a couple days. He always looked sad though, even when he was smiling. The fact that I know he died that way…feeling guilty for something he couldn't control…well it made me wonder if he was even able to pass on. I hope so. I hope he wasn't tied to the living world by his guilt.

In the two short days we knew each other, he told me about a Kokiri that I'd never met. Her name was Saria and she was his best friend. Then she became the Sage of Forest and he couldn't see her anymore. It was ironic because he told me that when he died, he hoped that she was there to welcome him to whatever comes after. I wonder if she was."

"Hey, wait. He died in battle right?" Link asked.

"Yes, battle with the Gerudo. I am not surprised that they bested him. After all, he'd lost his Triforce of Courage. He said it shattered in the other world and was scattered around there. Even though he didn't have it, he was still courageous, but he didn't have the protection that he did before. The Gerudo were expert assassins, but just like the Kokiri, their race died out," the Great Deku Tree replied.

"I think I met him before," Link stated, memories of his previous adventure coming back to him.

"What? Really?!" Kid exclaimed in surprise.

"When?" Agitha wanted to know.

"It was about a year ago when I was dispelling the twilight. I stumbled upon a golden wolf with a single red eye quite a lot. It always leapt at me and then I found myself in some kind of foggy place filled with clouds. The wolf turned into a decomposed warrior in armor. He kind of looked like a Stalfos now that I think about it. Anyway, he taught me sword techniques, hidden skills," Link explained.

"And did you see him ever again after he was finished teaching you all the fancy sword moves?" Agitha asked, leaning forward in anticipation.

"No," Link responded and Agitha's eyes shone with excitement.

"This is great! Not great that he really was tied to the world of the living, but great that he helped his successor and was able to move on because of it!" Agitha cried in elation.

Link suddenly realized what the Great Deku Tree had just said. "Hey…if the Triforce of Courage was scattered in the other world, then how do I have it?"

"How did you obtain it?" the Great Deku Tree answered with a question of his own.

"I was born with it," Link stated. This earned him shocked gasps from Kid and Tetra, though he didn't understand why.

"I have no way of confirming this other than by with what you just told me, but the goddesses most likely couldn't let the ancient relic be incomplete. They also couldn't just create a new piece and scatter it for anyone to find, so when the hero was reborn, they placed the new piece inside him," the Great Deku Tree explained.

"But that's so stupid! He didn't do anything to prove that he deserved it!" Tetra exclaimed in annoyance.

"Excuse me? I'm standing right here, and I'm sure whatever I needed to prove, I've done so already," Link countered. What was her problem anyway? Why should she care?

"Sure,  _now_  you have, but that doesn't change the fact that you didn't earn it," Tetra snapped back at him, her eyes practically spitting blue fire at him.

"Tetra, it doesn't matter that much, really," Kid cut in, trying to stop the conversation before it got heated.

"How can you not care, Kid! You went through a lot to get that Triforce piece and your counterpart just got it handed to him!" Tetra shouted, redirecting her anger onto Kid.

"Yeah, but that's not his fault," Kid calmly pointed out. Link slowly began to realize the reason for Tetra's hostility. The Great Deku Tree said that the Triforce of Courage belonging to the Hero of Time was scattered in the alternate world, which meant that for Kid to have the Triforce of Courage, he would have had to collect all the pieces.

"So you've been on an adventure before?" Link asked Kid before Tetra had a chance to say anything to start the argument anew.

"Two actually," was Kid's reply, coupled with a shy smile. Link was stunned into silence. Kid had said that he traveled around before, so Link could understand one adventure, but two?! His counterpart was younger than him but arguably more experienced since he'd apparently been on two adventures before this one. This quest would mark Link's second.

"Two…how did you even get dragged into one?" Link wanted to know.

"That's a long story," Kid sighed, "It actually started on my thirteenth birthday, my coming of age…"

"We don't have times for stories right now," Tetra huffed. Link wished she'd be quiet like she was earlier. Kid was finally going to tell him something about his past, which was something Link had been wanting to hear since he'd met him, and now Tetra was stopping him!

"We'll explain that stuff later. What I want to know is how we get home. Suppose we go along with this plan of the goddess's. Will we be sent home once we do what she intended?" Tetra interrogated the Great Deku Tree.

"I apologize, but I do not know. It is possible, but as I said before, your arrival is the work of the goddess, so most likely only the work of the goddess could possibly take you home."

"Well that's useless! So none of this was an accident? It was all planned?" Tetra concluded.

"It seems that way, yes," the Great Deku Tree replied.

"Wait a minute," Link interrupted them. Something didn't quite add up. His mind was still trying to come to terms with the flood of new information, so he couldn't exactly pinpoint it to one thing, but he  _knew_  that something didn't make sense. He was sure it had something to do with the goddess's plan. There was a flaw in it, he was sure, but so much was running around his head at the moment that he couldn't quite catch the idea and hold it there long enough to voice it. As everyone was waiting impatiently for him to say something Link quickly finished with, "Even if it was planned, it doesn't matter. The goddess wouldn't go through all that trouble to create an elaborate scheme like this and strand you guys here. There  _is_  a way to get you guys home. We'll find it eventually."

"And if we don't?" Tetra challenged him.

"We will. Don't worry about it," Link tried to reassure her.

"Don't worry about it?! Easy for you to say! You're not stranded in another world like we are!" Tetra shot back vehemently. Link was taken aback by her response. He didn't know why though. It was fair enough since they were, more or less, trapped at the moment.

"Tetra, it's not his fault. You don't have to yell at him," Kid said, trying to keep the peace even though he knew it was futile.

"Oh? So I suppose it's my fault then?" Tetra glowered, crossing her arms over her chest in her usual bossy manner.

"Wha? No! That's not what I'm implying!" Kid exclaimed, attempting to stop Tetra from running away with the idea and getting upset. It didn't work.

"Yes it is! It  _is_  my fault. Everything is!" Tetra argued, "Can't you see that yet?" Link became shocked upon seeing tears pooling in her dark blue eyes. He didn't understand why she was blaming herself for something that was obviously not her fault and why she was getting so upset about it.

"Let's just go," Tetra declared, turning around to face the door. Her voice was somehow steady. How long it would stay that way, Link wasn't sure.

He found himself agreeing with her, "Sure, let's get to the castle." Turning back to the Great Deku Tree and Agitha, Link quickly thanked them and followed Kid and Tetra out of the house and back onto the abandoned street.

"Tetra-" Link began.

She abruptly cut him off, "Shut up!" She was facing away from him, so he couldn't see her face, but he suspected that she was still fighting back tears and didn't want him to see.

"You might want to be quieter yourself. We still need to get to the castle undetected," Link reminded her. Tetra did not respond. She simply started walking down the street towards what, on any normal day, would be a bustling market but was now a ghost town of abandoned stalls cradling goods that would probably spoil before they were sold. Link and Kid were left with little choice but to follow.

To Link's relief, Tetra stopped at the end of the street to wait for them. Once they caught up, the three of them carefully peered into the market street. It seemed to be completely devoid of life aside from a stray dog running around chasing its tail.

Link motioned for Kid and Tetra to remain where they were while he took a few cautious steps out of the relative safety of the side street and into the open. He wanted to make sure that the dog wouldn't bark to alert any nearby guards of their presence. However, the animal hadn't even noticed him. It was too absorbed in its self-asserted mission to pay attention to anything else.

Silently hoping that it would stay that way, he gestured for his companions to follow him. They swiftly complied and the three of them stole down the street. Unfortunately for them, a group of soldiers were marching around the corner at that same moment. Link pulled Tetra and Kid behind the closest stall, hoping he'd been fast enough.

Judging by the rhythmic clanking of the soldiers' armor, the patrol's pace never faltered. Barely breathing, the three of them sat with their backs pressed against the wood of the stall, which was home to bundles of colorful flowers, as they waited for the patrol to pass. As the metallic sounds receded Link dared to peek over the top of their hiding place. The guards had turned into the side street Link, Kid and Tetra had just came out of not a minute ago. The little tan colored dog was nowhere to be found.

A quiet giggle made Link refocus his attention on his companions. Happily nestled in Kid's lap was the missing dog, licking the boy's face and making him laugh quietly.

"Don't let it do that! That's gross," Tetra scolded Kid as she watched the stray animal.

"He's not hurting anything, Tetra. Look, he's cute," Kid said, picking the dog up and holding it out to Tetra. Kid held the dog quite close to her face so it came as no surprise when the canine licked her cheek.

"Eww! Stop it, Kid! That's not funny!" Tetra exclaimed, recoiling from the dog's unexpected kiss. Kid laughed anyway, and Link found himself smiling too. He then frowned, remembering that they were supposed to be furtive since they weren't exactly allowed to be wandering around town at the moment.

Link was reluctant to put an end to it though since he so rarely caught them acting their age, but there was nothing for it. They had to get moving before another patrol came along. "Alright, come on. We have to go. Put the dog down, Kid," Link said even though he didn't really mean it. Kid set the dog on the ground and stood up along with Tetra who was scowling. Link preferred this over the non-Tetra-like behavior she'd been exhibiting today.

As they moved back into the open the tan dog followed them, loyally trotting by Kid's side. Link didn't anticipate the animal to follow them out onto the main street. He'd always known the dogs in castle town to stay in their familiar territories. Never did they emerge into the central square. It was possible that because not many people were around the dog didn't have much reason to hang around a certain area so it followed them instead. Whatever the reason, Link didn't mind as long as it kept quiet.

' _If we can make it to the north road we'll be safe,'_ Link thought to himself, keeping his eyes trained ahead. He motioned for his younger companions to pick up the pace. Just as they were passing the fountain Link's ears picked up the sound of clanking armor. Kid and Tetra had heard it too, for they stopped in their tracks and looked in the direction of the noise. Kid's tan shadow stopped as well, pricking up its ears.

The dog yipped as if it had been struck and ran off in the opposite direction, probably because it had learned to keep its distance from guards over the years. As for Link, Kid and Tetra, they chose to crouch down by the fountain, peeking through the water spurting from the center of the structure to see the wobbly grey shapes of the Hyrulean soldiers coming closer. The three of them were forced to inch around the fountain to prevent themselves from being seen as the guards passed through the central square.

Once the patrol was out of sight, they stood up and quickly made their way to the north road. They soon found themselves approaching the double doors that Link knew led to the castle's courtyard. Zelda had said that she'd notify the guards to expect them. Link hoped that she'd done so already upon seeing the two sentries flanking the gate. Normally there weren't guards stationed there, but he supposed that they were a precaution just like the patrols around town and the sentries placed at each of the gates.

Noticing them, the two soldiers wordlessly stepped towards the double doors. At first Link thought that they were blockading their way, but that was not the case. Each guard took hold of a handle of one of the doors and opened it, nodding to Link, Kid, and Tetra as they passed.

Link and his companions soon found themselves swept into the massive castle. Kid and Tetra were led by one servant to where ever their friends were and Link was led by another to the princess, who had make it clear that she wanted to speak with him as soon as they returned to the castle.

He was led into a room with a long table where meetings were probably held. The entire room was empty aside from Zelda who sat at the head of the table, dressed in her traditional royal attire.

"So?" the princess prompted him to explain what had happened since she'd left their group once Link was close enough, so she didn't have to raise her voice.

"So…the world's in danger of collapsing, but what else is new?" Link said sarcastically, taking a seat near the princess.

"Start from the beginning," Zelda instructed, completely serious.

With Midna by his side to help explain the situation, Link began to inform the princess, "This is going to sound insane, but it all started with a talking tree…"


	34. No More Secrets!

"Hey! I almost got it that time!" Aryll exclaimed in elation as a grape bounced off of her nose. Kid caught the small fruit before it could hit the floor. Since they'd been reunited fifteen minutes ago in the castle's library they'd been eating lunch which had somehow turned into a competitive sport. In that time they'd also explained just where they were to their friends, although they left out the part about the evil sword spirit. Kid ate the grape in his hand and picked another one, throwing it at Medli who wasn't paying attention.

It bounced off of her forehead, and she snapped her head up to look, red eyes searching for the culprit. When they came to rest on Kid she gave him a slightly irritated look, "Ya know, you guys just pretty much told us that everything I was doing here the entire time was for nothing. You can at least let me mourn the waste of my time in peace."

"Don't be like that Medli," Kid chastised her, "It's not like it was a total waste. Plus every piece of information you gathered makes sense now, doesn't it?"

"Well…yes, but there was no point in collecting it in the first place," Medli sighed, looking down sadly at the piece of paper filled with notes that she'd taken over the course of the last few days. She had explained to them earlier that she'd asked someone to read her the books, claiming that she was doing research and was illiterate in Hylian. It had seemed believable enough since she was a Rito, and no one in Hyrule had any knowledge of the race enough to know that they did not have a written language of their own as Medli had told them when they'd questioned the notes she was taking. Kid would have liked to see the look on that person's face if Medli had told them that she was writing in Hylian.

"Some of the books were in ancient Hylian though, so you got to practice," Tetra spoke up, tossing an apple from hand to hand. Kid hadn't seen her take a bite of it yet. She just seemed to be playing catch with it.

"That's true…" Medli admitted, "I guess it wasn't a total loss."

"I still wish that we could have come with you guys!" Makar piped up from his spot on the square table they were all situated around, "I can't believe you met the Great Deku Tree, and I wasn't there!"

"Maybe all of us could pay a visit to him later," Kid suggested. He doubted that they would be allowed out of the castle for any reason at the moment, but they might get a chance before they return home.

"But we are going home soon, right Big Brother?" Aryll questioned him, her emerald green eyes mirroring his.

"Yeah, soon," Kid nodded. They would be going home soon. However, Kid could not define the word soon. It was a vague response, he knew, and it was one that he'd always hated to hear when he was younger. Now he realized that the word was a blessing. It was the word that one used to provide hope when there was none. To distract his little sister, and himself, from dwelling on the matter, he held up another grape as if asking for her permission to throw it. Aryll nodded eagerly, eyes shining with determination to catch the morsel of food in her mouth.

He tossed the grape into the air and watched as his little sister tilted her head back, mouth open. Aryll closed her mouth a second too early and prevented the fruit from entering. She caught it in her own two hands before it could fall to the floor.

"Aww…I missed again. Why's this so hard?" Aryll pondered staring at the red grape cupped in her hands as if it would respond.

Tetra set her apple on the table and reached forward, plucking a grape off of the bunch in the middle of the table. She inspected it for a second before flicking it into the air and trapping it in her mouth when it descended. "I don't know what you mean. It's not that hard," Tetra shrugged picking up the apple again and resuming her independent game of toss.

Aryll gaped at her incredulously, "How'd you do that?!"

"Weren't you watching?" Tetra asked her.

Aryll nodded furiously, "Yes, but…" she trailed off looking at the grape in her hand. She threw it up into the air, higher than Tetra had, and tried to catch it. The round fruit bounced off of her forehead and onto the table where it came to rest. Aryll pouted. "You can only do it 'cause you're a pirate," she accused Tetra.

"That has nothing to do with it, and don't advertise that," Tetra ordered, slamming the apple down on the table, "You don't know who could be listening." Kid had a feeling that she was talking about Midna. Kid's eyes flicked to the shadows in the room. There weren't many aside from their own and the tall phantoms that the bookcases cast. He couldn't see anything unusual, but that didn't mean she wasn't there.

"What's the big deal? I thought you said we weren't in the past, so we can't mess anything up. Who could be listening anyway?" Aryll wondered, picking the grape up from the table and popping it into her mouth.

"I don't know, but you can't be too careful," Tetra said, "And just because that's true, doesn't mean that you can say whatever you please."

"You guys haven't told anyone about our world yet, have you?" Medli predicted.

"Well, so much happened at once, and…there's a lot to explain so…no. We haven't gotten to it yet," Kid sighed.

"That's sure to be a shipwreck," Makar commented.

"Shut up, Makar, it will not," Tetra retorted, "It's not like there should be any real reason for an extreme reaction since everything is over and done with by now." Kid had a feeling that she didn't believe the words she was saying. He certainly didn't. It didn't matter that this world and theirs weren't the same one. He had a feeling that the reaction they got from Princess Zelda, Link, and Midna would be extreme either way. Just to imagine that the kingdom that they knew was forgotten and buried beneath buckets of water…it would seem unreal to them. For him, the absence of the ocean that posed as the kingdom of Hyrule's grave seemed unreal, and yet it was obviously tangible.

Kid became worried as he realized that their companions were most likely to question a certain family. The royal family. He knew that Tetra was at her wits end to begin with, and he wondered how she would deal with it since she seemed to be barely hanging on as it is.

"What will you do though?" Kid questioned Tetra. She seemed confused by his question at first, and then realization dawned on her face. The pirate captain held the crimson apple firmly in both hands, worrying her bottom lip in thought.

Just as Kid was beginning to regret posing the question, Tetra answered, gritting her teeth, "With the new information we were given, the princess probably already figured it out, so there's nothing I  _can_  do." She took a bite of the apple as if silently telling him that she didn't want to talk anymore.

"Figured what out?" Aryll asked, her eyes wide with curiosity.

"Um…nothing," Kid quickly answered his sister for Tetra, "Here, try again." He tossed a grape to Aryll, and she caught it in her hands. The little girl was more than happy to try again like her brother requested, though Kid suspected she hadn't forgotten about the topic so easily.

Medli seemed to catch on to Tetra's mood too and changed the subject, "So, speaking of home, what do you think the others are doing to look for us?"

"Probably either getting drunk, or tearing the place apart…or tearing the place apart while drunk…" Tetra mused, leaning back in her chair and throwing the apple into the air, being sure to catch it when it came down. She suddenly started as if she'd been shocked. "Goddesses! I hope they aren't damaging anything! We haven't gotten a good haul in a while, so we're already low on money."

"I'm sure they didn't damage anything, Tetra," Aryll assured the young pirate as she balanced the grape that her brother had given her on her nose.

"You don't know them like I do," Tetra insisted.

"At least this time when we return they can't claim that we were only gone for ten minutes," Kid pointed out.

"When did that happen?" Medli wanted to know.

"Three or four months ago," Kid replied.

"You had an adventure and didn't tell me about it!" Aryll accused him, abandoning her balancing act and letting it fall into her awaiting hand. "You have to tell us now, Big Brother!"

Kid glanced at Tetra who simply shrugged as if she could care less. He took this as a sign that he could speak.

"Okay, well, you know the rumors about the Ghost Ship, right?" Kid began. At his sister's nod, he continued, "Tetra and I hunted it down."

"What? Why?!" Medli cried in horror.

"I thought it was a just group of pirates up to no good. I mean, there are rules to being a pirate after all. You can't just do whatever you want," Tetra answered.

"There are?" Aryll asked.

"Of course. We're not savages, Aryll. Anyway, I was hoping to expose them as a bunch of frauds and take their treasure, but it turned out that it wasn't pirates…" Tetra trailed off, looking at Kid to suggest that he finish.

"So it really was ghosts!" Makar concluded.

"Not exactly…" Kid trailed off, recalling the evil being he'd fought. Bellum hadn't been a ghost. He was snapped out of his thoughts by an unfamiliar voice. "Excuse me, I've been ordered to escort Kid and Tetra to a meeting with the princess."

Kid swiveled around in his chair to see a servant with mouse brown hair that brushed her shoulders standing next to the nearest book case. Kid slid out of his chair and turned his attention to Tetra. She held the apple tightly in her hands, as if scared to let go of it. She released it after meeting Kid's expectant gaze and stood up, nodding for him to go first.

He did so, knowing that she was right behind him. They followed their escort out of the library and down the maze-like halls of Hyrule Castle. Kid almost couldn't believe how big it was. He didn't recall the castle he'd been to beneath the waves being this impressive, but that could have been because he didn't have access to every inch of it.

Before he knew it the young woman had dropped them off at a door and left. Kid glanced at Tetra to see if she was ready to go in. He knew this conversation would be harder for her than it would be for him. Tetra winked at him, and Kid silently prayed that everything would turn out okay. He reached for the handle and turned. The door opened and they strolled inside, shutting it behind them. This conversation was only for their ears. Kid had known that as soon as they'd been dropped off at the door. No servants or soldiers were going to be around to hear what they were going to say.

He wasn't nervous before, but now, as they walked closer to the head of the table where Princess Zelda, Link, and Midna sat, he felt anxious. Kid took a seat opposite Link, and Tetra sat down next to him.

Princess Zelda shattered the silence that filled the room. "We must discuss Hylia's plan," she announced, eyeing the two of them specifically as she said it, "It seems that the increase in monsters lately hasn't been just a coincidence. It has been the work of the evil sword spirit that must be defeated. However, I've detected a flaw in the plan as Link and Midna explained it to me. It requires the assistance of four Triforce bearers. Two must wield the Triforce of Courage, and two must wield the Triforce of Wisdom."

"Huh, that is a problem…" Midna agreed from her perch on the back of Link's chair, "Maybe the goddess miscalculated and your counterpart didn't get teleported here like Link's did?"

"That's possible," Princess Zelda admitted, "But I have another theory, and while there is evidence to support it, the evidence I have isn't enough to prove it."

"What's your theory?" Link wondered. Kid could take a guess. He was almost positive that Princess Zelda suspected Tetra of being her counterpart.

"I'm not going to voice it unless I am positive, which means I need to collect more information," Princess Zelda told him. She then directed her frostbitten gaze on them and said, "Since we now know that you are really from an alternate realm and not from the future, there should not be any issues with me asking the both of you to explain what your world is like. More importantly, what became of the royal family?"

Kid and Tetra exchanged a glance. The glance communicated everything that they couldn't with words. They were both uncomfortable with voicing the truth since their companions were actually from the kingdom that they knew to be lost hundreds of years before they had even taken their first breath. Tetra was concerned that Princess Zelda would catch on through their tale, but they both knew deep down that she already had and just wasn't saying it.

"How should we explain it?" Kid asked Tetra, knowing that their audience was growing impatient.

Tetra leaned back in her chair and took a deep breath before saying, "This is but one of the legends of which the people speak…"

"Ugh, more stories? Can't you just tell us and make it simple?" Midna sighed in annoyance.

"I can't make it something it's not, Midna," Tetra responded in exasperation, "It's more complicated than you think, and this isn't a repeat of the story we just heard about the Hero of Time. This is a different version."

"Fine, go ahead," Midna nodded, leaning on her hand as if she was bored.

Tetra continued, reciting the legend word for word from memory, "Long ago, there existed a kingdom where a golden power lay hidden. It was a prosperous land, blessed with green forests, tall mountains, and peace. But one day, a man of great evil found the golden power and took it for himself. With its strength at his command, he spread darkness across the kingdom. But then, when all hope had died, and the hour of doom seemed at hand a young boy clothed in green appeared as if from nowhere. Wielding the blade of evil's bane, he sealed the dark one away and gave the land light. This boy, who traveled through time to save the land, was known as the Hero of Time. The boy's tale was passed down through generations until it became legend... But then, a day came when a fell wind began to blow across the kingdom. The great evil that all thought had been forever sealed away by the hero once again crept forth from the depths of the earth, eager to resume its dark designs. The people believed that the Hero of Time would again come to save them...

…But the hero did not appear. Faced by an onslaught of evil, the people could do nothing but appeal to the Gods. In their last hour, as doom drew nigh, they left their future in the hands of fate. What became of that kingdom? None remain who know…The memory of the kingdom vanished, but its legend survived on the wind's breath."

"So you're saying that the kingdom of Hyrule was destroyed when Ganondorf broke free?" Link asked, attempting to put the story into a simpler form.

"Weren't you listening? She said that no one knows what happened to it!" Midna chided Link.

Tetra shook her head, "Those words aren't mine. I was just repeating the legend word for word as it has been told for centuries. It's what most people know, not what's necessarily true."

"Then why mention it?" Midna wanted to know.

"Because, as I said before, what happened in our world is complicated. It's something too overwhelming to say all at once, so I'm starting you off small," Tetra explained. Kid had to admit that it was a pretty smart idea. They would start off by presenting their companions with vague information and gradually add various details to it, so by the time they got around to who Tetra really was, everyone would understand that it wasn't as cut and dry as it seemed.

"Continue please," Princess Zelda prompted.

Tetra nudged Kid in the side. He took that as his cue to speak, and opened his mouth to do so but quickly came to the conclusion that he had no idea where to go from there. "Um…what do you want me to say?" Kid dared to ask Tetra.

"You don't expect me to explain  _everything_  by myself, do you?" Tetra questioned him in irritation.

"No, of course not!" Kid replied quickly so Tetra didn't get the wrong idea, "I just don't understand what you want me to explain exactly. I mean, you just told them the entire legend."

"Yes, but I didn't say what happened to the kingdom," Tetra pointed out nonchalantly.

"You want me to explain what happened to Hyrule," Kid asked, although it sounded more like a statement than an inquiry.

"Have fun," Tetra smirked in response.

Kid gaped at her. That was completely unfair. If anyone, she should be the one explaining it. She was the  _princess_ , after all. Kid couldn't argue the point with her though. It wasn't time for their companions to know who she was just yet. Kid sighed in defeat and began to explain, choosing his words carefully, "Well, when the people prayed to the God's, their prayers didn't go unanswered. The goddesses heard their plea and decided to seal away Ganondorf by creating a flood. Of course, the kingdom paid a price for Ganon's temporary imprisonment because it was sealed away along with him. Some people were notified before the flooding and commanded to seek refuge on the mountaintops. Those chosen were charged with the task of building a new country, and they were the only survivors of the Great Flood."

What?!" Link exclaimed, standing up in shock and outrage, "Why would the goddesses do that? Why wouldn't they warn everyone? And why a flood?!"

"I'm not from the light realm, but I have to agree with Link here. That was a pretty dumb move by the goddesses. Couldn't they have just, I don't know, done something else?" Midna wondered.

"Uh…there weren't many options," Kid answered, feeling like they were yelling at him for the fate of Hyrule in his world. Kid actually did feel a little guilty since he and Tetra were the reason why the little that had remained of the kingdom is now flooded for good. Kid attempted to defend the goddesses, and himself, by saying, "The hero was gone and the goddesses knew that waiting around for another to be born and grow up wouldn't bode well for the kingdom. They couldn't let Ganon take it over either and since they couldn't kill him, they had to buy time somehow. Everyone was desperate. Even if it was only a temporary seal, it bought precious time for a new hero to be born. Besides that, there wasn't much room for everyone to live on the mountaintops."

"I imagine that the royal family was among those notified about the flooding in advance, yes?" Princess Zelda inquired after a brief pause to collect her thoughts.

Tetra chose to answer, and Kid let her, relieved to be out of the spotlight. "Yes. However, the king of Hyrule at the time chose to remain in the kingdom while the goddesses turned it into an ocean."

"Why would he do something crazy like that?" Link wondered, sitting down once again.

Tetra shrugged, "Dunno, but it  _was_  his kingdom. If you were the ruler of a kingdom would you really be able to abandon it just like that?"

"True," Midna spoke up, "If something like that ever happened to the Twilight Realm, I'd be reluctant to leave. I mean, it's like starting over from scratch with absolutely nothing."

"So did the royal family not survive the flooding?" Princess Zelda inquired, changing the subject slightly.

"No!" Tetra replied, shaking her head as if the prospect was ridiculous, "While the king did remain in the kingdom he didn't really die since he stayed in the castle and that had a magical barrier around it which kept the water out. The castle became frozen in time. Anything inside it didn't really live or die. The only family the last king of Hyrule had was his daughter. When the warning was given by the goddesses, he ordered the princess to flee with a group of her servants to the mountaintops. However, he knew that Ganondorf would eventually find a way to break the seal in the future. When that happened, he didn't want his daughter, or her descendants, to be found, so he split the Triforce of Wisdom into two fragments. He made a necklace out of one of the fragments and gave it to his daughter before she left. The other, he kept with himself."

"Is it even possible to split it up like that?" Midna asked, looking to Princess Zelda for the answer.

"I'm not sure. I suppose it is since the Hero of Time's Triforce piece shattered, but I've never attempted it myself with the Triforce of Wisdom, and to be honest I do not know how one would go about doing such a thing…" Princess Zelda responded, staring down at the table in deep thought, "Besides that, I don't even know how to get it into a physical form. For it to be something you can hold and break…that's beyond my expertise."

"Look, I don't know how he did it, I just know that he did it," Tetra stated, irritation hinting in her tone, though Kid suspected she was just pretending to be annoyed, so they didn't catch on to how nervous she really was.

"Wait, how would splitting it up help anything?" Link wondered, confused, "Wouldn't it be more dangerous to have it in a physical form?"

"Well…if it's split up other Triforce bearers can't detect it unless they really try," Tetra said, evidently choosing her words with care.

"Now I'm going to ask the question everyone wants to know the answer to," Midna announced proudly as if doing so would yield a reward, "How do you two even know all of this if the memory of the kingdom really vanished like the legend said?"

"Remember how flooding the kingdom to seal Ganondorf away was to just buy time for another hero to be born?" Tetra asked them all. At their nod of confirmation she continued, elbowing Kid in the ribs, "Well, that hero's right here sitting next to me."

"So…hold on a minute," Link ordered putting up a hand to stop them from saying anything else. He addressed Kid when he spoke next, "I know I should have seen this coming because you said earlier that you've been on two adventures before, but it still shocks me. This means that you killed Ganondorf, right?"

"Yeah," Kid confided sheepishly.

"Wow…" Midna regarded him in awe, "That's really impressive and sort of scary too now that I think about it. How did you get mixed up into that stuff anyway?" She seemed to be more engaged in the conversation than she had been earlier.

"Well….it started on my thirteenth birthday as I said before," Kid began a bit nervously, "That was the day I met Tetra. She sort of dropped in to my birthday party without an invite." He meant it as a joke, but apparently Tetra didn't find it very humorous because she punched him in the arm. Hard.

"Ow!" Kid complained, rubbing the spot where she'd struck him, "Why'd you do that?"

"Because you're not funny!" she informed him in a haughty tone, "And I didn't interrupt anything! You weren't even having a party!"

"I was going to have one later though..." Kid argued half-heartedly before dropping it, "Anyway, let me rephrase that. I met Tetra when a giant bird kidnapped her and dropped her into the forest on top of my island. I then rescued her, she insulted me, and left. Then the bird came back, mistook my little sister for Tetra and grabbed her instead, and everything went downhill from there," Kid summed up.

"Aryll was kidnapped? How'd you get her back? If you live on an ocean then obviously walking is out of the question, so did you have a ship or boat then?" Link queried.

"The ocean is actually called the Great Sea, and no _I_  don't have a ship, but Tetra does," Kid answered, turning all eyes to Tetra.

"You own a ship?" Princess Zelda wondered, "Is that common for children your age?"

Tetra frowned at the princess referring to her as a child but let it slide and replied, "Yes, I own a ship, and no, it's not common. It's actually really uncommon, and as far as I know, I'm the youngest person to own one. Although it was my mother's first, and it's not just a ship. It's a pirate ship."

"A pirate ship?" Link asked, incredulous, "You're a pirate?"

"Pirate  _captain_  actually," Tetra corrected him with a smirk painted on her face. Midna gave a low whistle of admiration.

"So much makes sense right now…" Link trailed off, staring at Tetra as he realized where her attitude got its origins.

"But you're so young. How did you get into something like that?" Princess Zelda inquired curiously.

"My mother was a pirate first," Tetra said. Each sentence she spoke was a bit hesitant, as if she was uncertain about the words she was speaking, "She was the captain and had a crew of men. As her daughter, I was considered a pirate too, although I wasn't forced to be. I wanted to be a pirate though because that's what my mother was, and I wanted to be just like her. I got my wish. Just not in the way I was expecting. She died when I was just little enough to remember her but too old to forget her. Before she passed she gave me something and told me to treasure it. She then instructed me to guard it with my life. I promised her I would, but I didn't understand why because I didn't know what it was."

"Do you know what it is now?" Link wondered.

Tetra nodded in response saying, "I just found out last year."

"What is it? A family heirloom?" Midna guessed.

"Something like that…" Tetra nodded, tight-lipped as if she didn't want to say any more but knew that the longer she waited, the worse it would be. Her next words were almost a whisper, "It was a necklace."

Kid's attention was suddenly focused on the princess as a small gasp passed her lips and her eyes grew wide. Her elegantly gloved hand flew to her mouth in shock, and Kid could practically see the disjointed puzzle pieces falling into place behind the glass of her eyes. Princess Zelda had figured it out. She knew who Tetra was.

"What is it, Zelda?" Link questioned her in concern and confusion.

The princess seemed to be blinking back tears as she trained her eyes on Tetra who stared back at her counterpart in a mix of emotions.

"You…you didn't know…I can't even…but you're….you…" Princess Zelda shook her head slowly as she stammered, failing to form a coherent sentence in her shock.

"Maybe explain what the heck's going on because I am genuinely lost right now," Link stated, glancing at the princess, Kid, and Tetra who seemed to be caught up in a different world. Midna seemed to be contemplating the words that had just been uttered a bit earlier, trying to make sense of what had rendered the princess speechless.

It took Midna another few seconds before she realized. The Twilight Princess accidentally slipped off of the back of the chair and startled Link when she fell into his lap, a stunned expression on her face.

"Midna?" Link wondered, cautiously placing a hand on her shoulder.

"I-I…can't believe that…" Midna whispered as if she hadn't even heard Link or felt his touch.

"What can't you believe? I'm so confused right now," Link groaned in frustration.

"Tetra...do you have the necklace on you now?" Midna asked, looking up, so she could see Zelda's counterpart. At her barely perceptible nod Midna said simply, "Show Link." Tetra hesitated to comply with Midna's request. Kid knew that she must have come to the same conclusion that he had: Two of their companions figured it out already, so what was one more? Her hand found her bandana and tugged on it. The necklace was immediately freed from its hiding place. The golden fragment was now visible for all to see just below the red of her bandana.

"Oh…" Link trailed off as if he didn't really understand. Then his expression turned into one of pure shock and his tone changed into one of comprehension, "Oh! That's…goddesses you're…"

The silence that fell over the group somehow became the loudest sound in the room. Their companions were stunned into silence. No one knew what to say, where to look, or what to do. Glancing at Tetra, Kid could see that she was upset that everything was out in the open, but there was also a flicker of anger that flashed in her eyes. Kid soon realized why. Right now, their companions were pitying her. That was the problem. Tetra neither liked nor needed to be pitied. She needed understanding deeper than anyone could provide. Kid tried to put himself in her shoes countless times, but each time he could never convince himself enough to believe that the emotions that came with the prospect were tangible. He couldn't achieve true empathy no matter how much he tried.

"Well…there isn't a kingdom…." Midna dared to speak up eventually, breaking the uneasy silence, "so why worry about the princess thing? Can't you just be a pirate like before?"

Tetra shook her head and directed her gaze to her lap, tears reflecting in her eyes and making them brighter than usual. Outlined in sapphire, they almost looked like sea foam had formed around them. "I have to…we have to…" Tetra bit her lip, not able to finish her thought.

Kid luckily knew what she was trying to say and decided to help her in any way that he could. Right now, that meant explaining what she couldn't bring herself to. "Tetra doesn't have much of a choice," Kid spoke up, calling attention to himself, "After we both worked together to defeat Ganon, the King of Hyrule told us that he wasn't really any different than Ganondorf himself since he was living in the past and refused to let go of it. He ordered us both to go find a new land to make Hyrule."

"I tried to get him to come with us but…he didn't want to," Tetra whispered, her voice a bit unsteady as sensitive memories resurfaced.

Kid continued, sadly staring at his lap as the scene replayed in his mind. "Yeah…he chose to drown with the remainder of the kingdom because he claimed that the land we found wouldn't be Hyrule. It wouldn't be his land. It would be our land…so we set off to find it, and we're still looking."

"No offense but you guys are still children no matter what you've been through. The king shouldn't have the right to dump something like this on your shoulders! Think about it a second. If the kingdom is gone then the king has no authority over you," Midna declared, reclaiming her previous perch and crossing her arms over her chest in defiance, "Besides that, if he had to put it on someone, why children? Shouldn't he have ordered someone older to do it?"

Tetra startled Kid and everyone else by jumping up from her seat and slamming her hands down on the table, "Don't you get it yet?" Tetra asked, her tone hushed but deadly, "The person that looks for this new land has to be a member of the original royal family. They have to have royal blood running through their veins, and guess what? In the whole Great Sea, in the entire  _world_ , there's only one. Me."

"It still isn't right…" Midna muttered quietly, "You didn't even know. You weren't brought up as a princess. How does he know that you even know what to do?"

"Midna, I don't know who I am, much less what to do!" Tetra cried in despair, clenching her hands into fists. Tetra kept her head bowed but from where he was sitting Kid could see that she was fighting back tears and on the brink of losing. Before, everyone had kept the thought in their own heads. Admitting it, made it real.

Kid wanted to console his friend, but he didn't know how to go about doing so. His goal before had been to distract her and keep her mind on some other topic, so she didn't have the time to tear herself apart from the inside out. Now distracting her was out of the question. He knew that it wouldn't work now, and he was ashamed to admit to himself that he didn't have an alternative plan.

Link stood up as well and walked around to the other side of the table so he stood in between Kid and Tetra. "Tetra, come into the hallway with me for a minute," Link requested. Kid had no idea what his counterpart was up to, but he hoped that whatever he had in mind would help. Maybe he wanted to calm her down.  _'If that really is his goal then good luck to him,'_  Kid thought. He'd never witnessed Tetra this upset before, but he had come pretty close on one occasion shortly after their initial adventure ended. Getting her acting like herself again had taken him a week even with the input from her crew, so he doubted that Link could do anything, but he supposed that it didn't hurt to try.

"Why?" Tetra wanted to know, trying to sound annoyed but only succeeding in sounding tired.

"Because I want to tell you something," Link informed her. He held out his hand to her, "Will you come?"

Kid expected Tetra to refuse, but instead she seemed to be contemplating Link's offer. She accepted it a few seconds later by placing her hand in his. He led her out of the room, and Kid wished that he could go with them. In fact, he would have followed if Princess Zelda didn't start interrogating him.

"Did you both find this out last year at the same time?" Princess Zelda wondered.

"Yes. The King of Hyrule revealed the truth to both of us," Kid replied, thinking back to that exact moment, the heart-thudding moment just before the two pieces of the Triforce of Wisdom became one again, the brilliant flash of gold that seemed to last a lifetime, and the confused princess in pink it left standing in the fiery pirate captain's place. He remembered it all clearly and doubted that he'd ever forget it.

"And why was it kept from her in the first place? I understand that her mother was a pirate, but surely her mother had to have known of their true heritage?"

This question was a bit more difficult, so Kid took his time answering, "Well, I don't know that much detail. I mean, Tetra doesn't talk about her mother much at all, but since her mother did have the piece of the Triforce of Wisdom then I'd imagine that she knew what it was but didn't have time to explain it to Tetra. My guess is that she was going to tell Tetra the family secret when she was older but never got the chance."

"Why was everything a secret though?" Midna asked, "It doesn't make sense to me. Hyrule was flooded and the princess fled for the mountains with the other lucky people that were supposed to build a new country. That's what they were meant to do and yet…as far as I understand, that didn't happen. The royal family went into hiding until their existence disappeared along with the kingdom and the remaining survivors did as they pleased, becoming blissfully ignorant hundreds of years later. So my question is…why?"

"I'm not really sure about that. Your guess is as good as mine," Kid admitted, wishing that he knew more so he could answer their questions with more confidence. "But I think it might have had something to do with the fact that the King of Hyrule didn't want his daughter to be found. Just splitting up the Triforce of Wisdom wasn't enough. If he truly wanted to make sure that she wasn't found then he had to ensure that no one knew where she was. That would mean that she had to create a disguise of some kind with her servants. I guess they decided to play pirate. The only problem is that their disguise turned into something real over the centuries. Though they did a good job of hiding everything I guess if members of the royal family don't even know that they're members." He added the last part of it with a nervous laugh.

"None of this seems like it can be real," Princess Zelda sighed, massaging her temples as if she had a headache, "but perhaps that is because I don't want it to be." Kid didn't know what to say to that. Was it rude to say that he's grateful for the Great Sea? That he couldn't imagine growing up in a place like this? He didn't know where those statements would get him and chose not to venture down their paths.

Midna was quick to distract him with another inquiry, "Hey, wait a minute. If your adventure started because you went to rescue your sister then how in the world did you end with killing Ganondorf?"

It was a fair enough question, and one that he sometimes wondered about. He couldn't say that there was a definite answer because he could come up with so many. However he chose to reply with the one that he found made the most sense, "One thing just led to another."

"Hmm…alright," Midna muttered as if she wasn't completely satisfied with the answer he had given her. Silence enveloped the three of them, and Kid strained his ears in an attempt to detect any sound that he could from the hallway. However, the wood that made up the door was thick. Too thick for voices to penetrate. After a while he stopped trying to eavesdrop and settled instead for distractions of his own. He knew that Princess Zelda and Midna were still trying to digest the knowledge that had overwhelmed them in a few short seconds so their minds were preoccupied.

Kid had nothing to do but wish to be able to peer past the sleek silver curtains blocking the two immense windows in the room so he'd have something interesting to look at. The room they were in was quite plain and almost dreary looking. The floors were polished wood and royal blue splashed the walls. Other than being the longest table Kid had ever laid eyes on, the table in front of him wasn't very eye-catching either. The chairs they sat in were padded with blue material but that didn't make them any more impressive than any other piece of furniture in the room.

The joyous chirps of birds from outside seemed to be an invitation to escape every worry his mind dwelled on. Going over to one of the windows and flinging back the curtains didn't seem appropriate, so Kid simply sat and waited patiently like everyone else, although it was debatable if they were patiently waiting or lost in their own heads.

Kid imagined that only a few minutes had passed but because he had been doing nothing it felt like it had been an eternity when Link and Tetra finally stepped back into the room and reclaimed their seats. Kid was amazed to find that Tetra didn't show any signs of the tears that she'd nearly shed before she'd left the room. She also seemed changed somehow, but Kid didn't know what it was exactly. Maybe it was the way she held herself or the way that her eyes smirked at him, taunting him with some secret that she knew and he never would. No matter how curious Kid was, he decided to leave well enough alone. If she was calm now that was all that mattered.

"So, Zelda, what are we going to do about this sword spirit guy?" Link wondered, casually changing the subject as if starting the conversation over again and ignoring everything that had transpired before as if it had never even happened.

Princess Zelda seemed almost unwilling to drop the previous topic, but after a brief hesitation she agreed by stating, "In the message that the goddess left for the four of us, she stated that this evil had never been defeated before. That leads me to believe that we must dispose of it at the earliest opportunity."

"But how?" Midna questioned the princess, "I'm pretty sure that creep's still hanging out in the Twilight Realm like he owns the place."

"Perhaps we can draw him out somehow?" Princess Zelda suggested.

"I don't think that will work," Kid interjected, surprising everyone, including himself, with this statement.

"Why not?" Link wanted to know.

"Because he wants Tetra. We still don't know exactly why that is, but that doesn't make it any less true. If he was really that easy to draw out then why would he send Zant and all of those monsters out to do his dirty work?" Kid explained.

"True…" Princess Zelda admitted nodding sagely, "so what do you propose we do if we can't draw him out?"

"Well, if we can't get him to come to us then we need to go to him," Kid said.

"There's a big problem with that though," Midna sighed as if she was disappointed to have to point it out, "The only portal between the light realm and the Twilight Realm is gone, so we've no way to get there."

"But you got here from the Twilight Realm," Kid countered, "There must be some other way of getting back."

"Me being here is Zant's doing as I explained before when we first met," Midna replied, "Zant is the only one that can create portals between both realms now." Kid vaguely remembered a discussion days ago about a shattered mirror and ancient Twili magic.

"Then we should trick Zant into creating a portal for us," Tetra declared as if the answer was painfully obvious.

"How?" Link inquired, and Tetra shrugged to show that she didn't know.

"I think I have an idea," Midna announced, a mischievous smirk creeping onto her face as a plan took shape in her head.

"What is it?" Kid asked after a couple moments of suspense-filled silence.

"If they want Tetra, then why don't we give her to them?" Midna said.

"What?! No way! Why would you hand me over to them?!" Tetra objected, eyes wide in shock that Midna would propose such a thing.

"Don't worry," Midna replied calmly, waving her hand as if brushing aside all of Tetra's doubts, "We won't  _really_  be handing you to them. They'll just think that we are."

"How does that work?" Link wanted to know, just as skeptical about Midna's plan as the rest of them.

"Simple, we use a decoy," Midna stated proudly.

"Where the heck are you supposing we get one from? And wouldn't they be able to tell the difference? Zant already knows what I look like!" Tetra reminded her.

Midna just giggled and flipped off the back of Link's chair out of sight. However Tetra was the one to step out from behind the chair, and Kid became confused. He quickly turned to his right, where Tetra had been sitting just a second ago and…found her still sitting there. Kid whipped his head back to the Tetra standing triumphantly next to Link with a characteristic smirk on her face.

"Well? Can you tell the difference?" she asked, placing her hands on her hips as he gaped at her. He recognized her voice as Midna's. It was Midna?!

"You can transform yourself into other people?!" Kid exclaimed in shock and awe. He hadn't known that Twili magic had so many impressive abilities.

"I wouldn't say transform," Midna mused, stretching her arms above her head, "I can just replicate what I see and make others see it. It's a type of trickster magic that Twili can learn. It's actually not that hard and not that useful unless you want to prank someone but for this, it works perfectly. Although. It would be even better if I could copy voices, but unfortunately I'm not very good at impressions."

"So your plan is to get yourself captured?" Tetra wondered, quirking an eyebrow.

"Nope," Midna shook her head, placing her hands at her sides. She looked so much like Tetra that Kid couldn't tell the difference, which was kind of unsettling as he thought about it. Did that mean that Midna could impersonate him if she wanted? "My plan," Midna continued as she took a seat across from Tetra, "is to trick Zant into opening a portal by pretending to be you."

"How do you plan on doing this?" Princess Zelda questioned Midna.

"I was thinking that we'd all go into Hyrule Field, you four will hide somewhere and I'll stumble out so the monsters can see me and pretend to faint. Then they'll call Zant or whatever, I'm sure they have a way of doing that since they tried taking you before," Midna said, glancing at Tetra, "and then he'll open a portal. I remember from when he brought me here against my will that the portal he opened didn't close right away. I'm not sure how long it stayed open. Maybe a minute, maybe a little less, but regardless, it should be enough time for you guys to follow. Then, I'm betting on Zant to go report to his colleague and I'll kill the monsters holding me captive by changing back into myself, though I might need a little help with that part."

"Good plan but the monsters still might hurt you even if you pretend to faint," Tetra pointed out, "I mean, they never really tried killing me, but they definitely want to take me to whoever when I'm unconscious. They seem to be very specific about that, so it's possible that they'll hit you just to make sure."

"Hmm…okay then," Midna hummed in thought, "What if a wolfos suddenly attacked me and knocked me unconscious for the monsters? Wouldn't that be convenient?" She shot a sly glance at Link which he caught and held.

"So you're saying that you want me to attack you as a wolf?" Link clarified.

"It's called acting, Link," Midna said with a wink, "It'll all be staged. Of course you won't actually hurt me, and I won't actually be unconscious, but it'll look that way to our audience and that's all that matters!"

Kid had to admit that the plan was sound. It could work. If they did it correctly, they'd have an easy ticket into the Twilight Realm. His stomach suddenly dropped to the floor. The Twilight Realm…Didn't Link say that the power of Twilight turned him into a wolf? No matter how cool it looked, Kid didn't want any parts of that. Conducting the wind was his thing. Turning into an animal? Not so much.

"Hey…the Twilight Realm won't change me into a wolf, will it?" Kid asked timidly, scared to hear the answer.

"No, it won't," Midna responded and Kid breathed a sigh of relief, "However, if you  _want_  to change into a wolf I can make that happen." Midna taunted him as she made the Shadow crystal appear in the palm of her hand.

Kid held up his hands and shook his head, "No thanks. I'll pass."

"Hmm…suit yourself," Midna shrugged, reluctantly closing her hand around the object and causing it to disappear in a flurry of twilit particles, "but I'm sure you'd make a cute little wolf." Kid didn't reply to that. He wasn't sure if she meant it as a joke or was serious.

"I'm actually more worried about if my realm will accept Tetra," Midna confided, flicking her eyes to the pirate captain sitting opposite her.

"Why wouldn't it accept me?" Tetra inquired, her tone a bit offended.

"Because your Triforce piece isn't whole. I don't know if it'll protect you," Midna explained.

"Protect me? From what?" Tetra wondered, curiosity apparent in her tone.

"From the  _twilight_ ," Midna sighed, putting emphasis on the word as if Tetra was being dumb. "See, beings of twilight can't exist as more than shadows in the world of light, and if they're exposed to too much of it, they'll die. It's the same way in the world of twilight for light dwellers. If a being of light enters the Twilight Realm without any sort of protection, such as the Triforce, then they'll die and fade out of existence."

"But if that's true, then how are you still alive?" Kid asked.

"Back when Link and I had our adventure, I'd been exposed to a light spirit's light. Princess Zelda was the one that saved me. She passed her Triforce of Wisdom on to me so I could withstand the light. Of course, I gave it back, but the effects stayed. I can now live in both the light realm and the Twilight Realm without consequence. However, I still prefer my realm." Midna said, morphing back into herself and reclaiming her previous perch as if to finalize her words.

"Well…if we have to then….we could…." Tetra trailed off, playing with her necklace, nervously turning the pendant over in her hands, "…put it back together."

"Really? You have the other piece then?" Princess Zelda gasped in what Kid interpreted as some emotion similar to excitement.

"Kid has it," Tetra replied, focusing her gaze on him.

"Oh yeah…Do you want me to get it out?" Kid asked Tetra as he began to reach for his pouch. She nodded silently, and Kid began to delve for the golden fragment among his supplies. He always kept it separate from his weapons, nestled inside a small velvet bag he'd bought for keeping it safe. When he found the bag in his pack he was puzzled as to why it was open. He didn't remember opening it. Without taking it out he peered inside. His stomach dropped for the second time that day. It was empty.  _'Well, that's not promising,'_  Kid thought to himself as he pushed aside other items in his pouch, hoping that it was in there somewhere.

"Ahem…uh okay, don't panic-" Kid began after sifting through the items in his pouch for almost a minute.

Tetra abruptly cut him off with a shout, "YOU LOST IT?!"

"I  _might_  have lost it," Kid corrected her, as he continued to rummage through his pouch.

"Kid!" Tetra exclaimed in rage, "I'm going to kill you!" Well, at least that sounded more like Tetra. And knowing Tetra, Kid was smart enough to stop searching and get out of his seat before she lunged at him.

"Hey, you told me you hated it anyway," Kid pointed out as he backed away from Tetra who was quickly advancing, a scowl on her face. It was true. After their initial adventure she had constantly cursed the sacred item, claiming that she loathed it.

"I do, but it's a sacred relic you idiot! You don't have the right to lose it!" Tetra argued. With nothing to counter with, Kid ran away from her around to the other side of the table. This kind of thing happened a lot back at home. Normally it was about something stupid and they'd laugh about it later, but  _this_  wasn't a laughing matter. Kid truly had no idea where the second fragment could be if not in his possession.

"Let's refrain from killing each other, please," Link said, grabbing Tetra's arm as she tried to pass him to get at Kid who had deliberately chosen to run past his counterpart, knowing he'd intervene.

"Kid, are you positive you didn't leave it at home?" Princess Zelda questioned.

"Yes. I always carry it with me. It must have fallen out or something," Kid reluctantly replied.

"When do you last remember seeing it?" Tetra asked him, her tone suggesting that if he responded with anything other than what she wanted to hear, he was dead.

"I checked everything before we left your ship that morning," Kid informed her honestly, "I had it then."

"That means that it can be anywhere in Hyrule!" Tetra cried in exasperation, settling for glaring at Kid instead of advancing on him even though Link had released his hold on her.

"Maybe we can go look for it?" Kid suggested shrinking under Tetra's pressing gaze.

"I don't think we have time to look for it," Midna interrupted them before they could continue their quarrel. "We have to kill this guy as soon as possible. If you have a way of tracking the other fragment, then fine we can look a little, but if not, I say give up on it for now. You have most of it, so it  _should_  work. Right?" Midna looked to Princess Zelda for her confirmation.

Princess Zelda addressed Tetra in reply, "Is the power in both pieces less because they are split apart, or is it absent all together?"

"The Triforce of Wisdom still has power as far as I know," Tetra said, "I don't know how much is in each piece, but I would think that most of it is in here." She tapped the golden pendant at her chest.

"If that is true then there is a good chance of it working. I do not believe that it will not work at all. However, the amount of protection it provides for you in the Twilight Realm may be compromised or temporary," Princess Zelda stated, thinking aloud.

"So it's settled. We're all going to the Twilight Realm," Midna declared as if to end the conversation.

"Not quite," Princess Zelda interjected.

"What do you mean, 'not quite'?" Midna challenged the princess, "We've got a plan to get there and everyone we need to kill this guy can go."

"Not everyone," Princess Zelda admitted, "I cannot accompany you."

"What? Why not?" Link wondered.

"My father didn't exactly approve of my little outing. There wasn't much I could say in defense since after we came back from visiting the light spirits there have been even more monster sightings than the few that had spotted the kingdom before. In short, he scolded me saying that me going off on an excursion that I refuse to explain the intention of is irresponsible and unacceptable behavior for one of my status. My father has gotten the prospect into his mind that it's a result of my absence from the castle that caused the monsters to appear. Therefore, he has forbidden me from stepping foot outside of it unattended," Princess Zelda explained.

"Here's an idea. Disobey him," Tetra announced as if the solution was simple.

"Here's another idea. Don't take Tetra's advice," Kid added, knowing that Princess Zelda's position wouldn't allow her to perform such rebellious actions without serious consequences.

"What's wrong with my advice?" Tetra challenged him, placing her hands on her hips and glowering at him. Kid immediately realized that whatever he countered with would condemn him to Tetra's wrath, so he chose to remain silent to spare himself.

Thankfully, Link saved him from Tetra's penetrating gaze by saying, "Tetra, your advice tends to be…wrong."

"You don't get anywhere by doing things the right way," Tetra countered, redirecting her heated gaze to him.

"Enough," the princess interrupted them holding up a hand to halt their exchanges, "The point is, I cannot come with you, and there is no possibility that I will even attempt to go against my father's orders. I am in enough trouble as it is. Creating more is unwise."

"Still...we need you for this to work," Midna pointed out, "And where was your father during the Twilight invasion? Why didn't you get in trouble for that?"

"He was at another kingdom for a vacation of sorts. He came back after everything was over. Explaining what had happened to the castle was a bit of a hassle but in the end he believed the entire story," Princess Zelda explained.

"Hey! I know!" Kid exclaimed suddenly as an unexpected idea popped into his head, "Since Zelda can't leave the castle without guards, she could organize the soldiers for battle while we go to the Twilight Realm. Instead of fighting the sword spirit while we're there, we could challenge him to a fight in Hyrule. That way, we can all fight him."

"But how do we know this guy will even agree to that?" Tetra questioned him, "The goddess said not to underestimate him, so he's probably smarter than Zant and a lot more powerful. Luring him out by making deals like that with him might not be possible."

"We could always ask Fi. She seemed to know who he was," Kid said, racking his brain to remember what the spirit of the Master Sword had stated after she was finished reciting the ancient words of Hylia. His brain was already overwhelmed by so much information that he couldn't recall what Fi had said. He was certain that she had given them a name for this evil sword spirit, but his mind refused to remember it.

"Good idea, Kid," Link praised him. Link glanced over his shoulder at the hilt of the Master Sword and said with a hint of uncertainty in his voice, "Fi? Could you come out? I need to ask you something."

Fi flipped gracefully out of the sword, so she hovered beside Link's chair, her feet just shy of touching the floor. "Yes, Master? How can I be of assistance?"

"Can you tell me more information about the evil sword spirit that the goddess mentioned in her message to us?" Link requested.

Fi gave an emotionless inclination of her head and stated, "The sword spirit the goddess Hylia spoke of is the Demon Lord Ghirahim. Unlike myself, he is full of various emotions and displays them at every opportunity."

' _Ghirahim…so that's his name,'_  Kid thought to himself. It was a peculiar name but then again, that was to be expected if Ghirahim truly was the lord of demons. Just his title made Kid wary of him. Demons were creatures bred from darkness, so their only profession would be in the field of evil. Kid wasn't entirely sure that Ganon had been a demon. He had definitely been evil, but that didn't automatically mean he'd been a demon, so did that mean that Ghirahim was even more dangerous than Ganondorf? If that was true then Kid knew that he certainly couldn't take him on by himself, not that he would, but in the event that he had to. Ganon had nearly killed him and Tetra multiple times, and Kid knew that the only reason why they won that final battle beneath the waves was because of the king's wish on the Triforce. Without it, Kid was sure that they would have lost, which made him start to wonder if going into this was such a good idea. Would he be an asset or a burden?

"So even though he's a sword spirit like you, he's different?" Link asked Fi, causing Kid to snap back to the conversation.

"Yes. I am the spirit of the Master Sword which is a holy blade blessed with light that can repel evil. Ghirahim is the opposite. He is the spirit of the Demon Sword, a cursed blade of darkness with an intention to taint the light," Fi reported.

"He is your counterpart in a sense then?" Princess Zelda wondered.

"Correct. He is different from me in every way. While I lack emotion, he possesses an abundance of it. While I am light, he is darkness. While I am good, he is evil. My Master is a chosen hero. His Master is a demon king."

"Do you think that it would be possible for us to lure him here? For example, if we were to go to where he is and challenge him to fight us here in Hyrule, would he accept?" Link questioned Fi.

"I calculate a 90% probability of this proposition succeeding," Fi said.

"The goddess told us not to underestimate him, so is there anything we should look out for when making this deal with him?" Tetra wondered.

Fi seemed to contemplate her response, or perhaps she was just reviewing the data she had stored in her head. "Ghirahim displays superior mental and physical prowess, as well as expert command of magic. Though possessing some gentleman-like qualities, he will devolve to his true nature when enraged. However, as a result of the overconfident and formal façade he has demonstrated to put forth at first, it should not be difficult to persuade him to agree to a duel in a particular area."

"What's his true nature like?" Kid inquired. Overall, he found Fi's description of Ghirahim's personality rather strange. Kid failed to comprehend how a Demon Lord could be classified as gentlemanly. He would think that Ghirahim would be addicted to killing anyone that he found unlikeable.

"Ghirahim has a tendency to play with his victims and cause them to suffer until he is satisfied. All available data on his personality indicates that he possesses an overwhelming appetite for bloodshed and seeks the brutal massacre of his enemies. While Ghirahim displays numerous traits, the one he fails to exhibit is mercy," Fi replied as calmly as if she was stating the weather.

"Well, doesn't he sound like a ray of sunshine?" Midna commented, her words drowning in sarcasm. Kid had to admit that Ghirahim sounded terrifying. Every evil being that he had fought up until now had just had one goal in mind. To kill. Ghirahim, according to Fi, is a sadistic person who adores torturing his enemies. Kid had never been tortured before and it certainly wasn't an experience he ever wanted to have.

"Do you know how to kill Ghirahim?" Link inquired.

"Master, I have sufficient data for a full explanation as to how to engage Ghirahim in combat. However, my previous Master never managed to kill him. Even after analyzing previous battles and fighting patterns, I cannot discern effective means of guaranteeing Ghirahim's death," Fi answered him.

"Okay then….what's the best way to fight him?" Link wondered, evidently disappointed that Fi couldn't provide him with the information he'd hoped for.

"Which of his forms do you wish to know how to battle?" Fi questioned. Link gaped at the sword spirit in disbelief as she stared back him with her expressionless face.

"Forms? He has different forms?!" Link exclaimed. He seemed to hesitate a little before saying, "I'm not sure I want to know but…how do I fight his first form?"

"In his first form Ghirahim begins the battle weaponless. He has the ability to grasp your sword with his bare right hand. He observes the angle you hold your sword at and plans his defense accordingly. Attacking from the direction opposite his hand is effective. Should he catch hold of your sword, swing your sword upward to escape his grip. If Ghirahim manages to take your sword from you, in order to reclaim it you must either retrieve it after he throws it at you, or if he attempts to strike you with it, execute a well-timed shield bash to make him drop it. Halfway through the battle he will draw a saber-like sword. Ghirahim also uses daggers which will align on a single plane in one of three orientations: horizontal, vertical, or diagonal. It is possible to repel the daggers with a single swing of your sword. However, this maneuver is difficult and, based on my previous Master's performance with this particular maneuver, I do not recommend it. Ghirahim has the ability to teleport and will use teleportation to repeatedly move around you. Your chance to attack is directly after he teleports. He will also attempt to flank you. When he does, I suggest executing a spin attack," Fi explained.

"Are you sure that's his first form?" Kid questioned, skeptical about the information Fi was giving them.

"It is his first and weakest form, Master," Fi confirmed. If that was Ghirahim's weakest form, Kid didn't want to hear about his toughest form.

"Don't worry, Kid. All of us are going to be fighting him together," Link reminded him, "It shouldn't be that difficult since he doesn't seem to have many ranged attacks. He'll only be able to focus on one or two of us at a time and the rest of us will hit him from behind."

"But isn't he a demon?" Tetra interjected, "Doesn't that mean that only the Master Sword can hurt him?"

"I don't know," Link shrugged and turned to Fi, "Is that true? Can Ghirahim only be damaged with the Master Sword?"

"Ghirahim can only be wounded by the Master Sword," Fi confirmed, "Items will have no effect."

"Even light arrows?" Kid wondered.

"I do not have any data on the effectiveness of light arrows on Ghirahim," Fi reported.

"In my opinion, light arrows would work," Princess Zelda said, and Tetra nodded her agreement.

"So we've got a plan then," Midna sighed as if the conversation wore her out, "If Ghirahim appears to us in any of his other forms we can just get Fi to explain how to fight him, and it's all of us against him and Zant. We've got numbers on our side."

"Not unless you count their army, which they'll probably bring with them," Tetra pointed out.

"Zelda has an army," Midna countered, "And if we can break the spell over my people while we're there, then we'll have another army."

"Midna, you make it sound like we are going to war," Princess Zelda informed the Twilight Princess.

"Well, we  _are_ ," Midna replied, "It's the same way it was a year ago, only this time the stakes are higher, and since your army is actually able this time, then we'd be fools not to take advantage of it."

"That's true," Princess Zelda confided.

"Of course it is," Midna said with a hint of pride in her voice, "Now, we know how we're going to do this, but  _when_  should we do it?"

"Tomorrow," Princess Zelda answered her before anyone else had a chance to reply, "That should give me enough time to get everything here ready."

"What will we do in the meantime?" Tetra wanted to know. Kid knew without asking that the prospect of doing nothing appalled the pirate captain.

"You two will tell us all about your adventures and in return, we'll tell you ours," Midna announced.

"Every detail?" Kid wondered.

"Every single detail," Midna confirmed, narrowing her eyes, "None of it is to be left out."

"Then we'll have to have our friends help us explain," Tetra responded.

"Fine by me," Midna declared as if she'd just accepted a challenge. She jumped up from her seat and disappeared into Link's shadow. Link dismissed Fi, and they all exited the room.

When they emerged into the hallway, the princess left them to attend to preparations for tomorrow. The rest of them continued on to the library where they found their companions and exchanged quick greetings. Their newly expanded group left the library and made their way to the room that the boys had shared on their previous stay at the castle. Princess Zelda had told them that it was still theirs to use so they headed there, thinking it would be a more private place to exchange stories.

Once in the room everyone made themselves comfortable in one position or another, either on the bed or floor. Aryll was disappointed at first when they informed her that they wouldn't be explaining the ghost ship encounter until later, but she quickly perked up when Kid said that they'd be telling the entire adventure from start to finish, so she would finally get to know what she always wanted to.

Kid began his tale and found himself telling the majority of it aside from a few side comments from his friends and little sister. He hadn't thought that he would enjoy remembering all of the ordeals he was forced to endure the previous year, but he soon found himself relishing Link's reactions. Describing each boss fight probably took longer than it should have since everyone was constantly interrupting with predictions and exclamations of surprise. Every time Kid had to shamefully admit that he forgot something there was always a collect groan that shook the room. He was almost positive that they were being much too loud at some points in the story since they'd all either burst out laughing at the description of certain scenarios, or started yelling over each other to get in a remark of their own. At one point Kid took out his sea chart and indicated the routes that he took and the islands he visited, which Link found very interesting but also confusing since he couldn't read any of it himself.

When Kid finally got to the part where it was discovered that Tetra was Princess Zelda, Aryll was beyond surprised. She found the idea amazing, and claimed that she wanted to be a princess. Tetra half-heartedly asked her if she wanted to switch, to which his little sister replied with an ecstatic yes. As he explained the final battle with Ganondorf no one dared to interrupt. In fact, he was almost positive that everyone, besides Tetra, held their breath as he described as much of the fight he could recall.

Kid's story had rendered Link speechless by the end until all he could do was shake his head in astonishment.

"Ghost Ship time!" Aryll demanded from her seat next to Link, whom she had dubbed her second big brother, "You promised!"

"There's more?" Link asked, incredulous.

"I told you I had two adventures," Kid reminded him, "That was the first one. The second one happened a few months ago."

"None of us have heard that one yet," Makar piped up.

"Except for Tetra. She was there," Aryll stated, jealousy hinting in her tone. Tetra shot her a pointed look and she quieted down. Kid then began to inform everyone about his second adventure which was interrupted more frequently than the first to the point where he constantly found himself losing his place and having to start over. Halfway through his second tale, dinner was delivered to the room and that took up their full attention for the next twenty minutes or so. When Kid finally managed to finish his story, the light of the sun had long ago been replaced with the flickering orange glow of candles. He didn't remember talking so much at once in his life and was rewarded with a slightly sore throat.

"I think Aryll fell asleep," Medli announced, nodding her head at Kid's little sister. Sure enough Aryll was curled up beside Link, breathing softly as she slept.

"She's making me tired," Tetra complained, stretching and fighting back a yawn.

"Why don't you guys head to your room then?" Link suggested, "Do you know how to get there?"

"I do," Medli said, "Should we take Aryll with us?"

"Leave her here," Kid told her.

"Why?" Tetra wondered.

' _Because she's my little sister,'_ Kid wanted to say _, 'Because I can imagine that I'm home right now if I'm sleeping next to her.'_ He didn't say any of that. Tetra wouldn't understand what he meant, and she'd probably just tease him for being homesick now of all times and seeking something familiar. Kid simply shrugged and replied, "She's already here. What's the use in waking her? She's not harming anything if she sleeps here tonight."

Tetra just rolled her eyes and sighed, "Whatever. Come on Medli,"

"Don't forget me! I'm coming too!" Makar cried using his leaf propeller to fly after the pair and landing on Medli's head, startling the Rito girl and making her jump.

Once the three of them were out of the room, Midna cautiously slinked out of Link's shadow, being sure to stay in her shadow form in case Aryll woke up. Kid didn't understand why Midna wished to keep her presence such a secret. Sure, the others would be a bit spooked at first, but they'd warm up to her if she gave them a chance.

"Your adventures are much more interesting than Link's," Midna informed him quietly as she flowed through the shadows like water to sit beside him on the other bed.

"Tell me about your adventure," Kid requested glancing from Link to Midna.

"I don't know…we might be up all night if I do tell you," Link mused, obviously teasing him.

"I won't say anything until you're finished," Kid promised, silently thinking that it wouldn't be too hard to keep his mouth shut since he'd been running it since the afternoon and needed a break.

Link agreed and began to tell Kid about his own adventure with Midna's input. They all struggled to keep the volume down so they wouldn't wake Aryll at certain parts as Midna made sly remarks that caused them to laugh. Kid was impressed by the monsters that Link had battled. Some of them sounded absolutely terrifying, and he had developed a new bred hatred for Zant now that he understood just what the corrupt Twili had done. He'd been intrigued to hear about the Zora since there were none on the Great Sea and hoped that before they left they might be able to pay a visit to Prince Ralis. Link's tale was a dark and heart wrenching one, and yet, his counterpart still claimed that Kid's was much worse.

They argued about it for a while before Midna finally got fed up and threatened them saying that if they didn't shut up she'd turn them both into wolves. That silenced their squabbling and they agreed to go to bed. Midna seemed to be satisfied with that decision and slipped into Link's shadow as he was removing his gear. Kid was so used to having the familiar weight of the weapons on his back that he almost forgot to take them off.

After kicking off his boots, he set to removing his sword and shield. Following a small struggle with taking off his gear, Kid set his items beside the bed and laid down next to Aryll, carefully moving her over a bit, so she wouldn't fall off the edge if she moved around during the night. She stirred a little when he did this but didn't fully wake.

Closing his eyes, Kid could almost convince himself that he was at his house on Outset Island. That he would wake up in the morning to the sun peeking over the blue of the horizon and the music of the wind mixed with the cacophonous singing of seagulls filling the air. And when he woke up his life would be as dull and boring as it had been. As he sometimes wished it still was. Simple. Him, his grandma, and his little sister. His small, isolated world. That was what he had referred to it as. Now it was different. He knew that the other world he'd been a part of had been a fantasy. No matter how much he wanted to, he couldn't call his family his entire world anymore because he knew the reality of it. The world was much bigger than anyone could imagine, and it broke all of those other fantasy worlds into pieces.


	35. Into Enemy Hands

The light breeze disturbed half colored leaves from their branches and sent them spiraling to earth. They looked like someone had begun to paint them in colors of orange, red, and gold, then abruptly forgot to finish. Rays of sunlight poured from the cloudless sky, the sun a single bright ball of white against the blue backdrop. The temperature was warm but not uncomfortably so. Overall, it was a perfect autumn day. A completely average day; if you were an average person that is. Tetra wasn't one of those people. Neither was her best friend for that matter. Normal was just a generalization. A category. The normal ones were the people living dull lives. The abnormal ones, well, they were the ones with the crazy lives. The exciting lives. The confusing lives. The hard lives.

Tetra couldn't help but wonder what a normal life consisted of. She'd never experienced it. What she and Kid were doing at the moment wasn't exactly normal either. To be fair, anyone could hide out behind trees in Hyrule Field if they felt like it. It could be classified as normal in the instance of children playing an innocent game of hide and seek. However, they weren't playing, and no one was making it their private mission to find them. The two of them were hiding behind a tree as a part of the crazy plan that Midna had come up with yesterday. If it succeeded, they'd be one step closer to getting home. If it failed…Tetra didn't want to think about that particular situation. Hyrule was a nice place, she wouldn't deny that, but she could never call it home. Her home was made up of water, not land.

She inched closer to Kid, peering over his shoulder and trying to stay out of sight at the same time. Any second now, their companions would stage their act. It was just a matter of time until the show started. There were two Lizalfos in sight a safe distance from their hiding place. Finding the correct spot for such a performance hadn't been easy. They couldn't do it in front of one of the gates because of the soldiers stationed there, and many other locations that they scoped out were crawling with too many monsters. It had taken the four of them a half hour to find this vantage point. It was perfect since there were many trees to provide adequate cover dotting the landscape, and there weren't any human witnesses unless some travelers decided to show up in the middle of the act.

Tetra knew that Link and Midna were currently hiding out behind a different tree, finalizing their preparations. They had purposely made sure that the amount of monsters that would behold the spectacle wouldn't be more than one or two since Midna would most likely have to be able to handle them on her own to break free later.

She disentangled herself from her thoughts as she spotted Midna, disguised as her, running away from Wolf Link who was some distance behind, howling to capture the attention of their unsuspecting audience. This scene quickly piqued the interest of the two monsters. Tetra had to admit that it looked real even though she knew it wasn't. Midna's disguise was spot on, and she appeared to be a good actor, glancing fearfully over her shoulder to see if her pursuer was catching up. Tetra knew this action was actually a signal though.

Tetra and Kid watched eagerly from behind the tree as Wolf Link swiftly closed the distance between him and Midna in just a couple of bounds. He appeared to leap at her and tackle her to the ground.

"That looked real," Kid breathed, eyes wide as he kept his gaze trained on their two companions.

"That's the point," Tetra whispered back, not daring to remove her eyes from the spectacle either. Kid was right though. It  _had_  looked real. Link and Midna hadn't had an opportunity to practice their performance, so it was possible that something could go wrong.

A couple seconds passed which consisted of Wolf Link standing over the fallen "Tetra" and growling as he waited for his next cue. Midna must have given it for he jumped over her a second later and bolted in their relative direction. Everything was alright then.

As discussed prior, he would circle around before joining Tetra and Kid behind the tree to make sure that the monsters didn't pursue him. However, that didn't seem to be an issue since the Lizalfos were much more interested in the girl lying in the middle of the field, presumably unconscious from the wolf attack.

The two monsters made their way over to Midna and seemed to inspect her for a full minute. In that short span of time, Wolf Link had run around and joined them in hiding, panting from the effort. Tetra kept her attention focused on the monsters who had begun moving around, conversing in their warbled language.

Tetra sincerely hoped that they hadn't misjudged about the monsters having a way to communicate with Zant. Wolf Link nudged Kid with his head to get his attention. Kid placed his left hand on the wolf's head to hear what he had to say.

When Kid took his hand away, he turned to her. "Link said to get back out of sight. He'll let us know when it's time to run." Tetra reluctantly retreated behind the trunk of the tree with Kid, so both of their forms were completely concealed. A few more minutes passed in silence before Tetra witnessed Wolf Link tense up, peering around the rough bark of the tree that served as their cover. Tetra inched closer to the side, despite knowing that she shouldn't, and glanced into the field.

Zant was standing with his back to them saying something that was hard to hear. Tetra could only catch snatches of it but by what words she could identify, it sounded like Zant was taking the bait. It was difficult to tell exactly what the Twili was doing but a few seconds later he made a motion with his arm as if he was flinging opening a door. A portal appeared before him, blocky and red around the edges. Zant barked an order at the two monsters who were standing there motionless and watching him like they'd just noticed his presence. The two Lizalfos picked up the "unconscious Tetra" and followed Zant through the portal.

As soon as the blurred wall of red and black swallowed their forms, Tetra, Kid, and Wolf Link burst out of hiding, making a mad dash for the portal. Tetra could see as she ran that the portal was beginning to close and hoped that it would stay open long enough for them all to make it through. Even though it was her realm, Tetra didn't want to leave Midna in there all alone with unwelcome company.

Just as she expected, Wolf Link reached the portal before she and Kid did and leaped through it. Kid increased his speed in desperation upon seeing the portal waver and Tetra followed suit. When Kid ran through it, Tetra was still about a foot behind him. She saw the temporary gateway flicker as if it was dying ember and gritted her teeth, praying for it to stay open for a couple more seconds. Whether her prayer was heard or not, she didn't know. All she knew was that she jumped for her goal and slammed into someone, knocking them down and falling on top of them.

Tetra knew even before Kid had made a sound that he had been the one she had accidentally tackled to the ground since her forehead had slammed into his mirror shield when she fell. "Ouch," Tetra winced, hissing in pain, and rubbing the sore spot as she slid off of Kid.

"You're telling me," Kid groaned, picking himself up from the floor.

"Shhh!" Midna shushed them, "Do you guys always have to make a grand entrance?"

"I wouldn't call that a grand entrance," Kid muttered, fixing his hat since it had slipped down when he fell.

"Never mind that, just keep it down," Midna said, waving it off and glancing behind her in a distracted fashion, "Zant went off to report to Ghirahim just like I predicted he would. Right now we're in the dungeons. Just beyond that door is the main hall of cells." Midna indicated the door behind her with a wave of her hand before continuing, "The other way leads to the main entrance."

Tetra took in her surroundings as Midna spoke. Sconces leaping with bluish green flames decorated the grey walls. The doors on either side were tall, narrow arches ingrained with faintly glowing turquoise symbols. Overall, the corridor was poorly lit, but Tetra could see perfectly fine which she found a bit strange. So far, the Twilight Realm didn't appear much different from Hyrule aside from the dreary atmosphere but that was probably because they were currently in a dungeon and dungeons in general weren't very lively places.

"So which way are we heading? Towards the main entrance?" Kid wondered.

"Yes, but we'll have to be careful. There are probably monsters lurking nearby. It wouldn't be a bad idea to have your weapons ready," Midna notified them, her tone implying that they should do as she suggested. Tetra drew her dagger and Kid his sword.

"I'll change you back later," Midna promised as she settled herself onto Wolf Link's back, "For now, we have to move fast." He gave a low growl of indignation. Midna ignored it and urged him forward by tapping his shoulders with her hands. She didn't expect him to break into a sprint and nearly fell off when he did so. Kid and Tetra trailed after them. They didn't stop running when they reached the door for Midna used her hair as a second hand and flung it open for them. The door slammed shut behind them, causing them all to cringe. Right now they had the element of surprise on their side, and they all knew that it would be in their best interest to retain that.

Before them stretched another expanse of hallway that broke off into two separate corridors, each of which looked exactly the same.

"Make a left up here," Midna instructed Wolf Link, who had slowed down to a trot. The four of them progressed down the leftmost hallway at a slower pace, the only sounds their echoing footsteps and the clanking of the chain on Wolf Link's paw scraping the ground every now and then. Midna instructed them through another series of hallways, and Tetra soon got the impression that it was a maze to prevent convicts that escaped from their cells from escaping the building. Many times it felt like they had doubled back the way they had come, but Midna assured her countless times that they hadn't.

Ten minutes later they emerged into the main entrance which happened to be entertaining monsters. The creatures instantly caught sight of them and drew their weapons. Wolf Link bounded forward and then crouched down low as the Bulblins began to surround him. The same pool of black and red electricity that they'd used to fell the Shadow Beasts, spread out around the pair, trapping the monsters in close proximity. Wolf Link dealt with them in quick succession, instantly killing them all.

Seeking revenge for the death of their comrades, the remaining Bulblins charged forward, four at Wolf Link and Midna, and two at Tetra and Kid. These creatures differed from other Bulblins that Tetra had seen. They appeared to be touched by the twilight, vaguely resembling Shadow Beasts in their attire and markings. Despite this, Tetra found that the method of killing one wasn't any different than killing a normal Bulblin. The Bulblins were soon eradicated from the room and the four of them exited the structure.

When Tetra stepped outside after her companions, she instantly bumped into Kid. However, he didn't seem to be fazed since he was too occupied with gawking at the scene before him. Tetra soon found herself mesmerized as well. The ground dropped off after a few yards to reveal an almost eerie expanse of sky. Dark clouds were visible from every angle. Some sections of the sky appeared to be a deep purple while others were a brighter shade of gold. Square black particles dominated the outside world. They reminded Tetra of a strange type of rain. A rain that was black and blocky and fell in reverse, from the ground up to the gloomy-looking sky. Surveying the area further, Tetra concluded that there appeared to be islands heavy with shadows suspended in the air.

A flash of orange suddenly cut through her vision, redirecting her attention to Wolf Link who nimbly dodged the random projectile. She searched for the source in the sky and was surprised to find what looked like a twisted version of a Kargarok with a Twilit Bulblin archer poised on its back.

"Hey! This is actually a good thing!" Midna exclaimed as her ride continued to evade fire arrows, "If we can defeat that archer then we can use the Shadow Kargarok to get around." Tetra wasn't sure if that was a wise idea or not. It certainly didn't seem safe considering that it was monster. What hope of controlling it did Midna have?

Kid seemed to snap out of his awe towards the realm itself and grabbed his bow and arrows. They had restocked on everything that they'd deemed necessary earlier that morning which included arrows. It also included keeping potions within easy reach for all of them. This had actually been Link's idea, and while Tetra didn't exactly write it off as a bad one, she thought it was a little obsessive. After all, if one of them needed a potion, then how hard would it really be to dig one out of their possessions? However, she had fastened a bottle containing the blood-red liquid to her sash anyway, just as Kid had secured one to his belt, as had Link.

Tetra and Kid stepped out of range of a fire arrow headed their way. She watched as Kid notched an arrow of his own, a brilliant light shooting out from the tip of it.

"Kid don't do that!" Midna yelled at Kid , startling him out of his concentration and causing him to not only lose the light magic he was pouring into the arrow's tip but also to drop the projectile entirely.

"Why not?" Kid wondered, confusion knitting his brow, "Wouldn't this kill the Bulblin in one shot?"

"Yes, but it'll also hurt my realm!" Midna shouted back, ducking low as Wolf Link barely managed to prevent the Kargarok from grabbing him. "So while you're here, please, don't use light arrows."

"Okay," Kid agreed, retrieving his fallen arrow and notching it once again, leaping fire coating the arrowhead instead. Tetra easily evaded another arrow shot her way. While the Bulblin was busy reloading, Kid took advantage of the distraction to fire his own blazing arrow at the archer. The fiery projectile struck its target in the side, causing the Bulblin to let out a shriek of pain.

Unfortunately, the creature didn't die. The Kargarok, began to circle around the area. Eventually it began to descend, talons stretched out to capture Wolf Link in its grip. Wolf Link ran straight at it without hesitation, leaping into the air and digging his own claws into the Kargarok. After he was finished attacking it, the Bulblin archer fell off of its mount and onto the ground where Tetra was waiting. She swiftly ended its meager existence with her dagger.

This left the strange Kargarok lingering in place as if unsure of what to do now that its rider was deceased. Midna floated off of Wolf Link and over to the abandoned Kargarok. As soon as she sat down in the saddle attached to its back, the bird monster gave out a loud trumpeting cry in protest and attempted to shake her off, flailing in the air.

Tetra thought that Midna would be instantly flung off, considering her size, but the Twilight Princess stayed upon her new throne. "Stop it! I'm your new master. Now, settle down." To Tetra's astonishment the Kargarok actually listened to its assertive new rider.

Midna then turned her attention to them. "Who wants to ride up here with me?" she questioned them.

"Is that even safe?" Kid wanted to know, more than a little skeptical about Midna's choice of transportation.

"Of course it is," Midna replied, completely nonchalant as she leaned back a little in her seat, "How do you really think us Twili get around the Twilight Realm anyway?"

"But isn't that a monster you're riding?" Tetra pointed out, indicating the Kargarok with a nod of her head.

"Yeah, but these guys are abundant in the Twilight Realm. It's only common sense to use them. Riding Shadow Kargaroks actually isn't that dangerous as long as they're tamed," Midna explained.

"How do you know if they're tamed or not?" Kid wondered.

"Tamed Shadow Kargaroks will have saddles strapped onto their backs," Midna clarified, "Now I'll ask again, who wants to ride with me?" Tetra was still a bit apprehensive about the concept but found herself volunteering anyway.

Midna helped her up and Tetra soon found herself seated behind the Twilight Princess atop a monster. "Okay, Kid, first, toss your bow and quiver up to Tetra," Midna instructed from her perch.

Kid complied, and Tetra caught the weapons, slinging them over her shoulder. "Why do I need bow and arrows?" Tetra queried.

"Because we'll probably run into more Bulblin archers like the one we just fought. We need some type of defense," Midna responded as if it was common knowledge.

"Where are we even going in the first place?" Kid wanted to know.

"To my palace," Midna answered, "The Palace of Twilight. We should be able to find Ghirahim there."

"How far away is your palace from here?" Tetra wondered.

"It's all the way over there. See it?" Midna said, pointing to a large piece of shadowed land that almost touched the horizon, or what Tetra perceived as the horizon. It was difficult to gauge distance in the Twilight Realm since, when Tetra glanced down, it seemed that the sky was reflected in the open expanse below. Midna then focused her attention on their companions on the ground.

"Kid, you'll be riding Link, okay?" Midna informed him.

"How's that supposed to work if the palace is all the way over there?" Kid inquired as he mounted Wolf Link, "I don't think he can jump that far even with your help.

"Don't be ridiculous. Link isn't jumping anywhere. The Shadow Kargarok will carry you two," Midna announced, "so I suggest holding on tight."

"No way! I want to switch with Tetra now!" Kid cried, fidgeting on Wolf Link's back.

"Too late!" Tetra gloated, a smirk on her face. It was his own fault for hesitating when Midna asked them both who wanted to ride the Kargarok.

Kid muttered something indistinguishable under his breath, but Tetra wasn't sure if it was directed at her or Link. Either way, it didn't matter, for Midna ordered the Kargarok to scoop up Wolf Link in its talons, and before she knew it they were all suspended over the never-ending twilit sky.

Fortunately, Midna seemed to know what she was doing as she guided the Shadow Kargarok to their destination. Unfortunately, that didn't stop them from confronting other Shadow Kargaroks and their riders. Tetra quickly notched an arrow and pulled back the bowstring, Midna reminding her not to use light arrows. Tetra nodded her understanding but knew that she wouldn't have attempted to use light arrows anyway. Without the entire Triforce of Wisdom at her command, she would only be harming herself if she fired one.

She let her arrow fly at the nearest Bulblin archer just as it released a fire arrow toward her. Midna jerked the Kargarok out of the way and the arrow went singing past her head. Tetra was a bit unnerved that she'd felt the heat from it and reached up to make sure nothing was burned. Thankfully, she was untouched. Tetra fired another arrow at the archer. This one buried itself in the Bulblin's chest and it fell off of its ride, plummeting down through the sky until Tetra lost sight of it among dark, billowing clouds. This reminded her that she didn't want to fall off, and she situated herself in the saddle a little better before focusing on her next target.

She finished off the second rider after expending three arrows. Despite progressing towards their destination as soon as possible, they were soon being tailed by three more of the black, concave faced Kargaroks, two with a rider and one without. Midna was charged with the task of keeping their mount moving, so they didn't get struck by an attack. This caused Tetra's job to become ten times harder as everything was moving at once.

The loud, trumpeting cry that had been consistent for the last five minutes began to give her a headache which didn't make aiming any easier.

"Midna, stop moving around so much," Tetra ordered, clenching her jaw as she tried to aim correctly.

"I can't help it!" Midna shot back, obviously just as fed up with it as she was, "Do you want us to get knocked out of the sky?" Tetra bit her tongue to prevent herself from retorting. She finally managed to dislodge one of the archers after a few more minutes filled with frustration. From there, defeating the rest became easier, and they soon found themselves on their way to the Palace of Twilight.

When they finally reached the palace, Midna directed the Shadow Kargarok closer to the ground. It released Wolf Link, and Tetra slid off next, dropping a couple feet to the ground and landing expertly on her feet. When Midna dismounted, the Shadow Kargarok flew away without any prompting. Tetra hoped that they wouldn't need it again.

Kid was barely off of Wolf Link's back before Midna touched the Shadow Crystal to the wolf's head and he transformed back into a human. Link stood up, dusting himself off and looking around.

"The palace looks different than I remember," Link noted as Tetra returned Kid's weapons.

"You don't know this, but the palace used to be a lot bigger before Zant took it over last time. He did some…remodeling, and, just like Princess Zelda, I've had to rebuild things. It's nowhere near as beautiful as it used to be but at least Zant seemed to leave it alone this time. Mostly," Midna added as she drifted closer to what Tetra presumed served as the center of the palace courtyard. The exterior of the palace reminded Tetra of some kind of fortress, its walls smooth and unscalable.

"What do you mean mostly?" Tetra wondered as her eyes drank in the sight before her. None of it looked broken to her. It was all very neat, not to mention huge.

"The Sols are gone, but that's not really a surprise," Midna sighed.

"What? We have to do that  _again_?" Link groaned, "I hated it enough last time."

"Well, get ready to hate it all over again because we have to restore the Sols to their original places," Midna declared with a mischievous smile.

"What are Sols?" Tetra asked tentatively, feeling like it was common knowledge since Kid seemed to know what they were talking about while she was clueless. It sounded like they were saying "souls", but that couldn't be right.

"Sols…they're like the Twilight Realm's equivalent to a sun," Midna explained, "except that there are two of them and you can actually hold them."

"Since there are two then wouldn't it be quicker if we split up into two teams?" Link suggested, "I know my way around. Probably not as well as last time but well enough."

"Right. We definitely need to hurry, and I want to break the other Twili out of the spell that Zant put on them. If we do, he won't be able to use any more Shadow Beasts which will make him less of a threat to us," Midna mused.

"So what are the two teams?" Link asked, looking to all of them for their input. Tetra preferred to be with Kid but knew that wasn't an option, so she remained silent.

"It think you and Kid should go together," Midna said, addressing Link, "I'm not saying you will, but in the case that you do come across that dark fog, he's going to need someone to coach him through it, and I'm not exactly qualified for the job."

"You mean the dark fog that…" Kid trailed off a look of horror on his face.

"Don't worry, you'll be fine. I doubt that the security around here is tight. After all, they're not anticipating any trouble, and why should they be? The mirror's broken, and the only way here now is through one of Zant's portals," Link pointed out. Kid nodded as if in agreement, but Tetra could tell he was a still little apprehensive even with the consolation. Tetra herself didn't know what the dark fog was but didn't press for an answer.

"What should we do if we get here before you two?" Link wondered.

"Wait for us," Midna replied, "When we're all regrouped then we'll talk about what to do next. In the meantime be careful. Our objective is to get the Sols back. Don't even attempt to go to the throne room yet."

"Got it. Come on, Kid," Link said motioning for Kid to follow him.

"They have the east side covered, so we'll take the west." Midna announced, flying over to the opposite side, implying that Tetra should follow. She hurried to keep up with her partner, finding it a bit unnerving that, besides themselves, no one, not even a monster, was in sight.

The interior of the palace was meagerly lit by a chandelier hanging from the tall ceiling, leaping with blue flames that cast further shadows into the far reaches of the empty room. Midna wasted no time lead her up a staircase laced with shining runes and to another door. The door lit up in a multitude of turquoise symbols, opening for the pair without either of them having to do anything other than stand in front of it. Tetra decided that she liked the convenience but couldn't even begin to comprehend how the door opened automatically.

They stepped into a long, slightly twisting hallway. Doors lined both sides as well as fire-lit sconces. Midna flew right past them and Tetra assumed that they were either servant quarters or half-finished rooms designated for other activities. Whatever they were for, Midna and Tetra didn't explore the rooms. Instead they progressed to the end of the curving hall where another automatic door led them into a different room.

The new area was just as grand as the rest of the palace. What appeared to be some type of benches bordered most of the squared room while the rest of the floor was made up of carved symbols that made no sense to Tetra. Once again, a chandelier lit up the room with the aid of four sconces, snuggled into each corner of the room. Tetra briefly pondered why every castle or palace had to be so large and filled with rooms that didn't seem to be used. As they progressed Tetra found herself peppering Midna with questions about the palace, being a princess, and every other thing that pertained to life as a royal. It was just as overwhelming and confusing as she'd imagined it.

Just as quickly as she'd started, she stopped posing questions. Tetra didn't want to think about any of it, even after what Link had told her yesterday. She still remembered their conversation clearly and knew that she couldn't forget it even if she wanted to. Not that she really did.

Looking back on it she supposed that the only reason why she accepted Link's request to step into the hall was because she didn't want to cry in front of everyone. Crying was a weakness. It was a poison that claimed to be medicine, and it never was because it didn't help anyone. It didn't fix anything. Tetra had known that, but yesterday she could barely hold the emotion back. She'd admitted everything which made her finally realize that she couldn't go on the way she was. She needed serious help. So when Link asked her to come out to the hallway with him she was actually relieved for the escape even though she tried to act like she wasn't.

As soon as they were alone in the hallway Link told her that he knew exactly how she felt. At first she shook her head, wiping her eyes and nearly yelling at him for lying to her. For saying something so stupid. He couldn't possibly know how she felt. Not really. Link persisted though, and she was too busy trying to stop the flow of tears falling from her eyes to do anything but listen to what he had to say.

Link informed her that when he first turned into a wolf as a result of being pulled into twilight and bearing the sacred mark, he was beyond disoriented. Thoughts that he swore weren't his were being pushed into his head. Thoughts that belonged to the divine beast that he had become. They were wild and instinctive and actually caused Link to fear himself. He told her that at first he was afraid he'd hurt someone since the thoughts almost turned into actions countless times. He also said that at one point he wondered if he'd been a beast his entire life instead of a human. He even confided that his senses as a human were heightened as a result of being a wolf, a permanent reminder of his other form.

Tetra now knew where his incredible hearing came from. She was quick to look past that though and got straight to other matters. She admitted that when the Triforce of Wisdom was whole it changed her appearance as well. Tetra then questioned him, wanting to know how he dealt with it. He then told her the last thing she expected him to. He didn't tell her that he just accepted it one day. He didn't tell her some story of finding himself or even that he just ignored it. Instead, Link told her that he hadn't coped with it. When she asked what he meant by that he said that he'd made up his mind by deciding who he wanted to be.

This answer confused her, and Link had went on to explain that at one point in his adventure he had decided that he wasn't a divine beast no matter what other forces argued otherwise. He was just Link. He was a ranch hand turned hero. Link said that after making that decision, when he transformed into a wolf, he pushed every thought that he knew wasn't his to the back of his mind. Over time he managed to silence the thoughts, so even when he was in wolf form he could be himself. Unfortunately, he could do nothing for his appearance but with his mind sound, it didn't bother him as much. He also told her that even now, when he was in wolf form, some of the divine beast's thoughts found themselves out of the cage he'd placed them in, and he had to corral them once again. However, it was never as hard to do as it had been at first.

She immediately wanted him to teach her how to cope with her situation, and he asked her who she wished to be. She had three choices. Tetra: pirate captain and terror of the seas, Zelda: future princess of New Hyrule, or Hylia: the white goddess of the skies and protector of the Triforce. She, of course, chose Tetra. Tetra quickly protested though, saying that, while she could ignore Hylia, she couldn't ignore Princess Zelda. The fact that she was a royal and was expected to run a country that she established herself combated against her being Tetra. Link told her to focus on who she wanted to be despite all of that. He told her that next time she transformed into Princess Zelda, she had to try to push away thoughts that she knew she, as Tetra, wouldn't be having. Once she did that, she could be Princess Zelda on the outside but Tetra on the inside. He told her that that was the first step. She didn't dare ask what the second was and doubted that he would answer her currently if she posed the question. Tetra was fine with that though. Just knowing that she wasn't on her own made her feel better. Link had also told her at the end that she was the first person he had ever divulged this personal information to. They had left the hall with each other's secrets locked away in their minds.

Now she was embarrassed about the occasion, seeing as she had cried, and Link, of all people, had consoled her and provided her with what no one else could. Suddenly, she was glad that she was teamed up with Midna and not Link.

She was startled out of her thoughts when a red barrier touched down in front of her, its posts giant crystals of red and black. Tetra drew her dagger, turning around to face whatever enemy she was sure was there. She'd honestly been expecting a horde off Shadow Beasts, so when she saw Zant, she nearly dropped her dagger in surprise. Tetra wasn't positive that it was Zant. It looked more like an apparition than the real thing, seeing as it was turquoise and a bit fuzzy around the edges.

"What-" Tetra began to inquire.

Midna cut her off with an answer, "It's not really Zant. It's just a hologram, but watch out because he can still hurt you if you're not careful."

"So he's like a phantom?" Tetra wondered, on full alert as her enemy teleported and reappeared on the other side of the fenced in arena.

"Sure, if you want to put it that way," Midna replied. Phantom Zant raised his arms and a huge sphere of dark matter appeared above him. He flung it out to the center of the room and it opened up a portal from which a bunch of Keese, changed slightly by the twilight, flew out and made their target Tetra and Midna. The pair made quick work of the Keese and turned their attention to Phantom Zant who repeatedly teleported around the room, causing Tetra to become cross since he waited until she was almost close enough to hit him before disappearing and relocating.

Eventually he raised his arms up again and prepared another black and red orb. "Don't let him do that!" Midna advised, flying as fast as she could to reach the apparition. However, Tetra knew that the Twilight Princess wouldn't make it in time to strike him with the magic she was preparing to hit him with, so she threw her dagger at him, interrupting his spell casting process and causing him to reel back in pain. If holograms could feel pain, that is. This opening allowed Midna to release her growing orb of magic toward Phantom Zant. It burst against him, injuring him further.

The battle proceeded, and as it did Tetra found herself becoming short of breath. When she once again attempted to hit Phantom Zant by throwing her dagger, she missed, and it bounced off of the barrier next to him instead. Midna attempted to hit him with her third hand, curled into a fist. However she was a second too late, and Phantom Zant released his sphere before disappearing. Creatures that closely resembled Deku Babas instantly littered the floor, and Tetra found herself forced to evade the many attacks directed at her since she didn't have her dagger anymore.

"Behind you!" Midna warned her. Tetra swiveled around to see what Midna was shouting about and was greeted by a Deku Baba lunging at her face. Tetra back flipped out of the way with mere seconds to spare, tripping backwards over another Deku Baba's stem as she landed. She was reluctant to admit that she needed a break. For some reason she felt like she'd run a mile without stopping even though they'd only been fighting for about five minutes. Tetra knew she had more endurance than she was exhibiting, and she had actually gotten sleep last night. There was no reason for her to be suffering from exhaustion already.

"What's up with you?" Midna demanded, "This isn't any time to be messing around!"

"I'm not…messing…around," Tetra gasped as she struggled to regain her lost breath. This response transformed Midna's annoyed expression into a concerned one.

The Deku Babas disappeared just then and both of them turned to where Phantom Zant was creating another ball of dark matter.

Midna muttered something under her breath. It sounded like a foreign word from a different language. Needless to say, it made no sense to Tetra, but she had a feeling that it was a curse. Midna then addressed her saying, "I'll deal with him. Get to the sidelines if you can and stay there." She then rushed over to where Phantom Zant was, forming her hair into a third arm as she flew.

Tetra got to her feet and made haste to sit down as close to the red barrier as she dared. She was mad at herself. She was stronger than this. Why was this particular battle taking such a toll on her? Tetra despised the fact that she couldn't do anything to help Midna, weaponless as she was. Forced to watch the battle, Tetra knew that it was taking away magic that Midna would most likely need to use later.

After a couple of minutes passed, she found herself breathing easier and the fatigue in her limbs nearly faded to nothing. Deciding that she was recovered enough to assist the Twilight Princess in defeating Phantom Zant, Tetra hurried over to where her dagger was waiting on the floor and joined Midna in the battle once again.

"Tetra, what are you doing?" Midna exclaimed as soon as she spotted her.

"Helping you. What does it look like?" Tetra replied tersely.

"I told you to sit out!" Midna reprimanded her, irritation lacing her words.

"And I'm telling  _you_  that I'm fine now," Tetra retorted with sass of her own, wary of Phantom Zant who was teleporting around the battlefield at the moment.

She didn't wait to wait to hear Midna's reply and rushed towards their holographic foe. Unlike the other instances she managed to reach Phantom Zant this time and landed at least five blows on him before he resumed his teleportation game. She shot Midna a triumphant smirk to which the Twilight Princess glowered at her. Apparently she was still sore about Tetra's disobedience.

The princess of twilight and the pirate captain managed to take down Phantom Zant a few minutes later. As soon as they did, Midna ordered Tetra to sit down and take a breather. Tetra was more than happy to comply, as she once again found herself lacking oxygen. Midna studied her the entire time, her eyes quietly calculating.

When Tetra had recovered enough to speak she said, "I think we can move on now."

"No, we're not," Midna shook her head, crossing her arms over her chest in defiance, "Not until I understand what's going on with you. One minute you're acting like you just ran a marathon and the next you're completely fine."

"It doesn't make sense to me either, Midna," Tetra informed her companion, "This doesn't normally happen to me."

"Huh…I wonder if it's the Twilight Realm. Maybe this is the consequence for possessing most but not all of the Triforce of Wisdom," Midna mused, "Now I'm kind of regretting bringing you. This is going to be a drag."

"Hey! It's not my fault," Tetra cried in indignation.

"I know, I know," Midna rolled her eyes, "It's just that running with that Sol isn't going to be easy."

"Why do we have to run?" Tetra wondered. She didn't see why they couldn't take it slow.

"Because we're going to be chased all the way to the exit," Midna sighed.

"Chased? By what?" Tetra asked even though she was sure she didn't want to know.

"By that," Midna answered her nodding to a giant hand holding a white sphere in its fist.

"What happens if it catches us?" Tetra questioned, figuring it would be helpful to know whether they would get hurt or not if they messed up.

"It'll take the Sol and come back here, but if you're holding it while it takes the Sol then you'll be hurt some," Midna explained, "Besides that, watch for the shadow of the hand. If it's above you then get out of the way."

Tetra nodded, getting to her feet and walking up to the giant hand.

"You have to hit it to get it to drop the Sol," Midna supplied. Tetra unsheathed her dagger and struck the huge hand once. It instantly released its hold on the Sol, and she quickly put away her weapon. Tetra was surprised that the large hand stayed frozen in place, but didn't argue with it and bent down to pick up the Sol. She immediately realized that their mission had gone from unnecessarily difficult to downright impossible.

The Sol itself was actually quite pretty. It didn't hurt her eyes to look at as she'd anticipated. The sphere of white was encased in a cage of blue symbols. However, it was larger than she'd expected, not to mention heavier. After picking it up, Tetra was sure that she'd drop it accidentally. Its size combined with its unexpected weight made the Sol difficult for Tetra to hold, much less carry all the way to the entrance. She would have asked to borrow Kid's power bracelets if she'd known that they'd have to do this. Unfortunately, they were on their own and while they did have the option of going back empty handed and asking the boys to help them that would waste precious time. Somehow, Tetra and Midna had to do this themselves.

"Is it really that heavy?" Midna wondered, "Link made it look easy when he did it."

"Yes, it really is heavy, and I can't carry it all the way back," Tetra confessed, setting it down on the ground. Midna transformed her bright orange hair into a hand and grabbed the Sol with it, testing its weight.

"I might be able to carry it a bit but not the entire time," Midna announced. "Let's try something, back up." She gestured for Tetra to take a few steps back. She had no idea what Midna was up to but took a couple steps back anyway. Midna gestured for her to keep going and she did.

Once she was about a foot or two away Midna said, "Catch." She tossed the Sol to Tetra who caught it but stumbled under the sudden weight forced into her arms. Midna then flew a little ahead of her and instructed, "Now throw it to me."

Tetra found that it was easier to hold it over her head to toss it, so that's exactly what she did. It didn't go very far, but Midna managed to catch it with her magical hair, dipping briefly in the air as a result of the extra weight.

"So? You think we can keep this up?" Midna inquired, "The hand is pretty slow anyway."

"We can try," Tetra replied with a nod of her head silently instructing herself to keep up even if she got tired.

"Oh, and don't worry if you drop it. Sols can't be broken that easily," Midna told her.

As soon as Tetra and Midna got to the middle of the room with the Sol, the hand came to life, red runes racing across its surface. Midna, who currently had the Sol in her possession, flew forward a bit, and Tetra jogged ahead, turning back to assess their situation after a few feet. The ominous hand was slowly drawing closer just as Midna said it would.

When she caught the Sol next, she thankfully didn't have to go more than a few steps to activate the door. After stepping into the next room Tetra threw the Sol up to Midna who used her third hand to grab it. They continued through the many rooms and hallways of the west wing of the palace playing a game of catch with a giant hand threatening to slam down on top of them and steal their prize away if they so much as paused for a breath. On one occasion around the halfway point, they were forced to stop because Tetra needed to a break, however hesitant she was to admit it. They found a spot to place the Sol where the hand could not grab it no matter how many times it slammed itself down.

After Tetra had recovered enough to move on, they grabbed the Sol and resumed the arduous task of taking the white and blue orb to the entrance. At one point the hand actually succeeded in reclaiming the Sol but Midna quickly struck it with a sphere of magic and it released the orb which Tetra wasted no time in grabbing.

When the two of them finally emerged victorious Tetra instantly sat down and let the Sol drop out of her arms. She knew that they wouldn't be pursued now that they were outside of the palace. The pair moved on shortly with Midna carrying the Sol. It was no surprise that they found Link and Kid waiting there in the middle of the courtyard, sitting on the ground beside the Sol that they'd collected.

"Took you long enough," Link greeted them in a joking manner, "We've been waiting for almost twenty minutes." Tetra was almost positive that he was exaggerating.

"Glad you two had an easy time of it," Midna muttered as she placed the Sol into the remaining depression in the ground. The tile around it lit up and both boys scrambled to their feet. Link drew the Master Sword and stepped between the two Sols which instantly disappeared, the runes reaching out across the ground and lighting up an oval beneath Link's feet.

Tetra became startled when pure light skimmed the edge of the Master Sword before encasing it entirely until the sword almost hurt to look at. The blade was the brightest object in the realm by far. Fi flipped out of the sword, somehow remaining graceful in every motion she made.

"Master, the sword has been infused with light. I can confirm that the effectiveness it has on beings of darkness has increased by seventy percent. However, this upgrade will disappear once exiting this realm," Fi reported. Then, without waiting for a reply, the sword spirit disappeared back into the Master Sword. Link sheathed the sword, sparing them all from the enhanced shine of his weapon.

"So, what made it so hard for you two?" Link wondered.

"Well the Sol was heavier than expected and Tetra slowed us down too," Midna answered honestly.

Tetra glared at her, not taking kindly to be referred to as a burden. "I did not."

"Run ten laps around the courtyard and I bet you'll faint before you finish your fifth," Midna wagered. Tetra wasn't about to take her up on the challenge. After all, she knew that Midna was right. She probably would pass out if she did that.

"Why would that happen?" Link asked, confused as to what Midna was talking about.

"Because apparently if you don't have a whole Triforce piece in your possession then you can't do a lot of physical exercise in the Twilight Realm without nearly collapsing as we found out the hard way," Midna replied.

"Seriously?" Kid inquired in disbelief, "Are you okay?" This second part he directed at Tetra.

"Of course," Tetra responded in a huff, "As long as I take breaks I'm okay."

"Alright, well, I guess it's better than a time limit," Link sighed before changing the subject, "So what are we doing next? Confronting Ghirahim?"

"That was my plan," Midna said, "But I think it'll be better if we enter the throne room from different sides."

"I thought there was only one entrance," Link interrupted her.

"There was, but it was remodeled since the last time you were here," Midna informed him, "Now there's the front entrance and two side entrances. I was thinking that Tetra and I could enter through the front while you two enter through one of the sides. That way, just in case one of them is rigged with a trap or something then two of us could help the other two get inside, and we can go through with our plan of convincing Ghirahim to face us in Hyrule."

"Okay, how would we get to the side entrance?" Link wanted to know.

"I'll show you where to go once we're inside," Midna assured him and the four of them set off to enter the middle of the palace. Upon entering, Midna led them over to a staircase towards the left side of the room which they all quickly ascended. After passing through a doorway they found themselves in a hallway that split off in three directions.

"Go right," Midna instructed the boys, stopping in the middle of the hall and pointing down the dimly lit corridor, "That'll lead you to a door and beyond that there'll be another turnoff point. Whichever way you choose is the opposite side of the throne room, so if you go right, you'll enter from the left and vice versa. There'll be steps in front of you. That leads to a guard station, so don't go in there." With their instructions in mind, Link and Kid detached themselves from the group, and Tetra soon found herself alone with Midna.

"If you don't mind, I'm going to hide in your shadow. I don't really want them to know that I'm here just yet," Midna said, "Just keep going straight and follow the hall. You'll eventually reach the throne room, but be careful. I know we didn't really run into any trouble besides the security in the one room before, but there's a good chance that they posted some guards in the main hall." With that, Midna slipped into her shadow, and Tetra started forward on full alert. The feeble light provided by the sconces on the walls didn't do much to illuminate the massive corridor. Tetra found that she was adapted to the poor lighting by now and didn't mind it quite as much as she had at first.

After a while of walking down the corridor she wondered if it ever ended. It seemed much longer than was necessary but maybe that was because there were so many twists and turns incorporated into the intricate maze of the hall. She followed the path faithfully like Midna had instructed, knowing that she'd reach the throne room at some point.

She eventually stopped listening for the scuffling of monsters, knowing that she wouldn't hear any, and instead listened to her own footsteps which echoed back to her as she walked down the deserted corridor. Tetra had no idea how much time had passed. Whether it was only five minutes or fifteen, she felt alone. She knew she wasn't truly alone though. Her shadow was her company.

Tetra's thoughts wandered to her other companions. She wondered how they were faring, if they'd reached their shared destination yet. She had a feeling that the path to the side entrances were longer than the path to the main entrance and knew that she'd probably be the first one inside.

She slid a wary hand to her dagger, feeling as if something was off. A faint headache pulsed briefly in her temples before dying. It made her uneasy. If something was going to attack her, then she wished it would get it over with rather than keep her in suspense. Up ahead the corridor curved to the left and she quickened her pace to meet it, hoping to find something. The something that was causing her unease, in particular. She wasn't disappointed.

The room that stretched out before her was the throne room. It was exactly where she was supposed to be. Tetra knew that she'd never been there before, yet it felt familiar. In fact, it  _looked_  familiar. Near the back of the room an uncomfortable looking chair rested against the wall, imitating a multi-legged bug that nobody dared to touch but one. This one appeared to be a man and she squinted, taking a small step forward as if it would help her discern the figure better. The new presence was cloaked in shadows, making it impossible to make out any features other than a faint outline, and even that was a stretch.

Tetra suddenly let out a quiet gasp.  _'Eerie atmosphere, throne room, figure of shadows…NO!"_ It was her dream! Tetra couldn't believe that she didn't realize it earlier. Of course she wasn't alone in that corridor. She'd been with her shadow. With  _Midna_. Only she hadn't known Midna when she'd had the dream. Kid was with Link… Tetra drew her dagger, deciding that she'd fight. She had to. No more of her prophetic dream was allowed to come true. She wouldn't let it.

A light chuckle met her ears. It was one filled with amusement. She knew it belonged to Ghirahim, whom she still couldn't see well at all due to the throne room being almost completely dark. She could see just enough to know when he disappeared from his throne, Midna's throne, and glanced around momentarily forgetting where he had appeared in her dream. He quickly reminded her by teleporting behind her and gripping her shoulders a little too hard.

This sent a new wave of panic washing over her, drowning her. She couldn't move. She was terrified. She hadn't realized why in the dream but she knew why now. Ghirahim was a merciless demon. He wouldn't display any restraint because she was a child. She knew that. He would kill her if she did anything other than what he wanted her to.  _'No, he'll torture me first,'_  Tetra realized in horror. Just as it was in her dream, her dagger was useless. She clutched it tightly in her right hand and yet she didn't move. She liked to claim that she was fearless, but she knew the truth deep down. She wasn't fearless. She was afraid of so many things.

"Let her go!" yelled a voice that she recognized as Link's. It snapped her out of her petrified state, and she looked up to see Kid right beside him. They were both running towards her, swords drawn, determined to save her. Tetra remembered her dream. It didn't end with them saving her.

"No, don't!" Tetra cried even though she knew it was futile. For as she shouted the warning, Ghirahim was already lifting his hand from her shoulder. Neither of the boys had time to falter or register her plea. They were suddenly halted in their tracks, picked up off of their feet, and thrown backwards by an unknown force into a wall that she couldn't see due to the dimness of the room. "Link!" she screamed as the crumbling of a wall met her ears. It had been a scream of concern for both of them in her dream. She now realized that it wasn't concern she was expressing. It was a cry of lamentation. She already knew what had become of them, but that didn't stop her from wrenching herself free from Ghirahim's grasp and bolting forward.

Ghirahim didn't follow her, but Tetra didn't pay him any mind. There was still a little ray of hope shining through. The rest of her dream had come true but maybe the ending didn't.  _'Please Din, Nayru, Farore, let them be okay,'_  Tetra silently prayed as she skidded to a stop in front of the demolished wall, hastily waving away the dust that obscured her vision.

As soon as she could see the debris clearly her eyes sought to discover even a thread of green. The grey bricks were broken into pieces, some crushed to dust. Even as she surveyed the scene she was clinging to the little piece of hope she had left. Hope was holding her up, directing her movements.

Then she caught it. A flash of color that caused her hope to let go off her hand. It let her fall and blend into the shadows of the room. Red, not green, was the only color she saw. The bright crimson slowly pooled out, dying the broken bricks with its shade.

Tetra wanted to wake up. She wanted to close her eyes and open them again to see the light of morning. However, when she tried, the scene in front of her remained unchanged.

"How rude of me. Here I am, brushing pests aside, and I haven't even properly introduced myself," Ghirahim stated calmly from behind her. Tetra whirled around on her heel, shedding tears she didn't even know had been pooling in her eyes. As she did so, the room lit up. Sconces lined the walls, dancing with flames, and a chandelier in the middle of the throne room provided further illumination.

Now she could see the demon lord. Unlike Fi, he appeared to resemble human with a tall and slender figure. His skin appeared to be grey, but Tetra couldn't discern if it was an illusion cast by the lighting or not. There was no mistaking his white hair though. It nearly covered one side of his face, but the color didn't make him look old as one would expect. Tetra was shocked to find that he seemed to be wearing some sort of make-up and would have felt less intimidated if it wasn't for the fact that he'd just thrown her friends into a wall so effortlessly. She noted his strange attire, white clothes with diamond cut outs that exposed his skin, white gloves, an oddly designed crimson cape, and other diamond accessories that seemed unnecessary.

"You may address me as Ghirahim," the evil sword spirit informed her, striking a pose as if he was some spectacle to be admired, "In truth, I very much prefer to be indulged by my full title: Lord Ghirahim. But I'm not fussy." He shot her a pointed look as if urging her to respond.

Tetra took a deep breath to calm herself. It was a shaky breath, but it was a breath nonetheless. She assumed a battle stance, dagger held out before her in a threatening fashion and dark blue eyes stormy. The plan was to make a deal with Ghirahim and fight him in Hyrule. That had been the plan but as far as Tetra was concerned, the plan had crumbled to dust as soon as the wall had. With Link and Kid…gone, there was no hope. There was only Wisdom. Courage was now a lost art. Tetra decided then that she certainly wouldn't let Ghirahim obtain what he desired. She would fix the mess she made. She would avenge her friends.

"I'm not afraid of you," Tetra stated, "I'll kill you." It wasn't a threat. It was a promise.

"Why the hostility? That's certainly not very appropriate for a princess," Ghirahim reprimanded, calmly strolling towards her.

"I'm not a princess," Tetra argued, narrowing her eyes at him. Inside, Tetra was beside herself, trying to figure out how he could possibly know the truth.

"Denying it, are you? Then I suppose you won't know what this is, correct?" Ghirahim then snapped his fingers, disappearing in a flurry of white, red, and gold diamonds. Tetra attempted to pinpoint his location and soon found him lounging on the back of the throne.

He held up a gold object between his thumb and forefinger, waving it back and forth as if taunting her with it. Tetra dared to inch a little closer, so she could see what he held. She couldn't help but show her surprise. Ghirahim held the other fragment of the Triforce of Wisdom. The little gold triangle glinted in the torchlight.

"How did you get that?" Tetra questioned him, dropping her act of ignorance.

"Ah, so you  _do_  know what it is." Ghirahim smiled which only amplified her unease. "Lying isn't a very good habit to get into," he advised her in a mocking manner. Then he began to sound hurt, "I'm honest with you, after all, Princess Zelda, my little goddess. I'll even answer your question. It's quite simple actually. I found it lying in Hyrule field. Quite convenient, wouldn't you say?"

"I'd call it stealing. The Triforce of Wisdom doesn't belong to you," Tetra shot back hotly. Ghirahim was really making her skin crawl. His nonchalant manner of speaking, his confidence, it wasn't right. He was acting as if he'd already won and was waiting for her to realize it too.

"No, it doesn't belong to me," Ghirahim agreed, pausing to inspect the golden fragment he held in his hand from every angle. He then stopped, and his chilling eyes met hers, "but it could. If you agree to give me the rest of it, that is."

"You'll have to kill me first," Tetra replied, head held high as she glared daggers at him.

"No, no. As much as doing so would delight me...I can't kill you," Ghirahim mused, shaking his head. It didn't even seem like he was speaking to her anymore. "Obtaining the Triforce of Wisdom, well, that's a small piece of my plan." He held the fragment up to the light as if searching its surface for imperfections, "I also need the soul of the goddess." Here he once again turned his attention to her, regarding her with disdain, "I must say, Hylia, all of your other forms were much more…radiant. This new form of yours doesn't even begin to compare."

Tetra gripped her dagger even tighter than before. It wasn't an action of fear. It was one of anger. First he degraded her by addressing her with names that weren't her own, and then he insulted her appearance. She refused to tolerate it.

"Have you looked in a mirror lately?" Tetra retorted, "Your fashion sense is lacking."

"What are talking about? I'm fabulous," Ghirahim declared as if it was common knowledge. He flipped his hair with a flick of his wrist as if it would prove his statement.

"Don't flatter yourself," Tetra scoffed.

"Still your tongue before I cut it out of your mouth, whelp," Ghirahim ordered her, his demeanor suddenly changing from light-hearted to deadly in a matter of seconds.  _'Good job,'_  she congratulated herself sarcastically,  _'you managed to tick off a sadistic Demon Lord!'_ With whatever amount of wisdom she had left, she refrained from replying.

"Honestly..." Ghirahim sighed putting a hand to his head as if speaking with her exhausted him, "I'll give you one more chance to answer me correctly. Only one." He held up a finger as if to clarify. "Normally I wouldn't be this courteous, but I suppose I owe you. After all, if it wasn't for you, I wouldn't be blessing the world with my stunning presence at the moment."

Confusion clouded her mind. "What do you mean by that?" Tetra asked, puzzled.

Ghirahim began to reminisce, recalling memories from the past. His facial features contorted in anger, and he began to speak, "Long ago when that wretched sky child defeated my Master, I became trapped. My Master had reverted be back into my sword form and when he was defeated I was cast aside, teleported to an entirely different location. However, that goddess sword not only claimed my Master's essence, but the majority of my power as well. Without my power, I was weak. I couldn't escape and so the sword became a prison for my soul. My Master managed to return just as he'd promised and found me. Yet, he didn't even recognize me!" Ghirahim disappeared once again and Tetra looked around, frantically searching for the demon.

He reappeared on the other side of the room, madly pacing and continuing his violent rant, "He didn't know who I was. He didn't even know that a spirit resided in the sword he wielded! I was just a weapon to him. And that happened  _time_  after  _time_  again. My new Master would always be defeated by the hero and the princess of the surface. That accursed Kingdom of Hyrule! Each time the seal keeping me imprisoned in my sword form would weaken, changing my outward appearance little by little."

Ghirahim teleported to another location the room, beginning to sound insane as he rambled on, practically shouting, "Do you know how it feels to be trapped inside your own body without a voice for thousands upon thousands of years? For years I watched and listened inside my prison. I could see and hear every event that went on around me. Around my  _Master_. Over the years I began to realize something. The one thing that separates me from my Master in incredibility is this: He never learns but  _me_ …" Ghirahim suddenly appeared behind Tetra, grabbing her shoulders, shaking her slightly and putting his face uncomfortably close to hers.

"I learn," Ghirahim whispered in her ear as if it was some exclusive secret. Tetra suddenly remembered that her dagger was in her hand and whirled around, intending to strike him with it. Ghirahim predicted this reaction and disappeared before the small blade could make contact. It was then that Tetra learned that Ghirahim lacked the concept of personal space.

"I learn!" Ghirahim repeated, louder this time as he reappeared, sitting on the throne properly, "I analyzed every plan and every mistake so that when I finally broke free, I would know exactly how to prevail. I would succeed where so many reincarnations of my Master had failed. The last time I clashed with the goddess sword, I was almost free, but I needed one final burst of divine magic to completely undo the seal. That came with you my dear. You set me free, earlier than expected, and for that, I thank you kindly," Ghirahim bowed his head in mock gratitude. He then raised it saying, "Oh, but your kindness didn't stop there! You reawakened the goddess sword for me, allowing my power to escape and find its way back to me. I was willing to retrieve you myself with my renewed power, but no! You made my life even easier by coming to me! Given all that you've done, it's not unreasonable of me to give you another chance to give me what I want, now is it?"

Tetra was stunned. She couldn't believe it! By coming to this alternate world she had unleashed an ancient evil long before its due date. To make matters worse, they had disrupted the eternal sleep of the spirit of the Master Sword. It hadn't unleashed Demise's essence. That had withered away long ago. Awakening Fi had actually unleashed the remainder of Ghirahim's power. How could they have been so stupid? So far they hadn't done anything except break a seal on a demonic sword spirit and then give him a free power upgrade! Not to mention she'd just willingly delivered herself to his doorstep.

"Why come after me specifically though?" Tetra wondered, genuinely curious. Even with Ghirahim's excessively dramatic speech, which scared her quite a bit, she still didn't understand why he wanted her in particular. Princess Zelda had the same soul as her, as well as the Triforce of Wisdom, so what made her so special?

"Because you're convenient," Ghirahim announced, "I don't have to go through the trouble of extracting the Triforce of Wisdom from you since it's already in this physical form." He tossed the fragment he was holding up in the air once and caught it in his opposite hand when the air failed to sustain its weight and forced it down. "Now, last chance, will you give me the rest of the Triforce of Wisdom or do I have to take it from you? Choose wisely. You can only answer once."

Tetra knew that she wouldn't give it to him. She'd been digging her own grave for too long. Now it was time to find a way out of it, even if she had to do so alone.

"No," Tetra answered, "I won't give it to you."

"Tsk. Wrong answer," Ghirahim sighed as if she disappointed him, "But don't fret. I can't kill you."

This was little reassurance coming from a Demon Lord and Tetra found herself worrying her lip as she contemplated what exactly she'd just gotten herself into. Killing Ghirahim was out of the question because she didn't have the Master Sword and even if she did, there was no guarantee that she'd be able to use it. It was for the chosen hero to wield, not the princess. Princess... A solution began to formulate in her mind. If she could get the second fragment of wisdom from Ghirahim and combine it with her own piece then she'd be transformed into Princess Zelda and the Triforce of Wisdom would go inside of her. Even if it wouldn't stop Ghirahim, it would make it harder for him to achieve his goal.

The doors suddenly slammed shut, startling Tetra out of her thoughts. Ghirahim pushed the small triangle up into the air. Firelight lit up the golden surface, causing it to shimmer in its place near the ceiling. "I'll just place this here for now where you can't get to it," Ghirahim smirked, his tone similar to one would address a small child with. The golden fragment continued to float there as Ghirahim stood up and his flowing red cape, which reminded her of petals belonging to some type of poisonous flower, disappeared in a flash of diamonds.

Ghirahim snapped his fingers and a row of daggers lined up before him in response, each one glowing red around the edges. With a wave of his hand he launched all of them at her. Tetra's swift reflexes spared her. The flamboyant Demon Lord then teleported closer to her, causing Tetra to back up involuntarily. She quickly swung her dagger at him. Instead of dodging it, Ghirahim calmly captured the blade in two fingers. How he managed this without earning even a scratch amazed her and terrified her at the same time.

Tetra attempted to pull her weapon free, but Ghirahim displayed an incredible amount of strength and held it in place. She even resorted to using two hands but after a few more seconds he effortlessly flipped the dagger out of both of her hands and into the air. He caught her prized dagger by the hilt and brandished it at her.

Her eyes widened in fear. She was supposed to swing up to get him to release. Fi had told them that, but Tetra hadn't remembered it until now. She took a few wary steps back. Ghirahim advanced, forcing her to retreat towards the wall. Tetra's eyes flicked up to the fragment of wisdom suspended magically in the air over the throne. There wasn't anything she could climb to allow her to grab it. It was too high to reach.

She felt her back hit the wall and this snapped her attention back to the enemy towering over her. She balled her hands into fists in frustration. Turning it into a hand to hand combat fight wouldn't end well either, seeing as he had magic and she didn't. Besides, he also had her dagger at the moment.

Ghirahim took advantage of her lack of attention and teleported a few feet away before throwing the small blade straight at her like a dart. Tetra side stepped in an attempt to avoid it but wasn't exactly fast enough to evade the attack entirely. She felt the cold metal lick her skin as it passed. The dagger clattered to the ground, its sound reverberating around the chamber. Tetra put a hand to her neck. Her fingers came away colored with dots of blood.

"My apologies," Ghirahim taunted her, bowing in a gentleman-like fashion, "Did I nick you? Perhaps you should surrender before I let one of these blades of mine take a bite out of you."

She quickly reclaimed her weapon and moved away from the wall, trying to prevent herself from shaking. Tetra dropped back into her previous fighting stance as if nothing had happened. Ghirahim was toying with her. He wasn't even fighting seriously and already he'd managed to mark her skin, with her own weapon nonetheless! This infuriated her, yet she forced herself to calm down. If she made a mistake it was the difference between a tiny scratch and a stab wound. If she'd had a choice then she would have retreated by now. However, all of the entrances were locked shut, and she had no hope of opening them. Ghirahim fired another round of daggers at her, all of which she dodged. After doing this the feelings of fatigue began to creep back into her limbs.

Ghirahim licked his lips with a disturbingly long tongue and summoned a black sword for himself to wield. He then teleported behind her, attempting to land a blow. Tetra barely managed to evade the saber-like sword, and stumbled on her feet. As Ghirahim moved to approach her, a figure suddenly appeared in front of him, halting his advance.

Tetra couldn't believe that she'd forgotten that Midna was with her. Why the Twilight Princess waited so long to make herself known, Tetra didn't know, but she was relieved that Midna was coming out to assist her now. Goddesses above knows that she needs it. Midna formed her hair into a huge fist and attempted to punch Ghirahim. However, the sword spirit deftly jumped back, out of range.

"Ah, the Twilight Princess. I don't have time to deal with you. Why don't you go run along and play with Zant?" Ghirahim suggested.

"Why don't  _you_  get out of my kingdom?" Midna countered, drifting back towards Tetra while keeping her gaze trained on Ghirahim.

"Actually, this is Zant's kingdom now. He's allowing me to maintain a temporary base here," Ghirahim informed her.

"How did you even get into the Twilight Realm?" Midna snapped, obviously irritated by his presence.

Ghirahim teleported behind the pair, and they both whirled around to face him. "Teleportation of course. I can teleport anywhere I've been before." With that he launched another series of daggers at them, ending the conversation.

"Midna, do you see the fragment of the Triforce of Wisdom up there? Near the throne?" Tetra whispered to her companion as they distanced themselves from Ghirahim. When Midna's eyes fell on the object she nodded. "Try to get it for me. I'll distract Ghirahim as best as I can," Tetra said. Midna slipped into the shadows of the room while Tetra switched onto the offensive, advancing towards Ghirahim. She feinted to the right, acting as it she was going to attempt to strike him. Ghirahim half-heartedly moved his sword into a defensive position, and Tetra skipped away from him before her blade would have met his. Ghirahim seemed to notice Midna and launched a row of daggers towards the ceiling.

"Midna, watch out!" Tetra warned the Twilight Princess who was almost to her goal. Midna turned halfway around in the air. When she saw the daggers flying her way, she slipped between them, narrowly dodging the ebony blades. She grabbed the golden shard with her magical hair and threw it away from the throne just as Ghirahim launched another attack towards her.

Tetra only had eyes for the piece of gold, catching the light as it flew through the air. She sprinted to catch up with it, paying no attention to anything else around her. Tetra fumbled with her bandana, shaking her necklace free and taking it off as she ran. Once Tetra was more or less below the second fragment she threw her pendant up in the air and both pieces lit up in recognition, pausing in the sky. They connected a second later, kicking up a gust of wind and shooting out golden beams of light into the throne room.

Tetra closed her eyes as the warm, golden light enveloped her. It chased away all of her weariness and filled her with strength. She felt her hair shaken loose from its bun by an unknown wind and flow like water down her back, past her shoulders and to her waist. She felt the weight of a golden crown, affixed with some precious gem, settle itself onto her brow. Her signature bandana was whisked away and a silky wrap was placed around her shoulders by an unknown hand. A necklace consisting of three pearls was fastened to her neck, making up for the absence of her treasured necklace. Tetra felt a new material wrapped around her chest, and a skirt of satin flow past her waist down to the floor. The change didn't last more than a few seconds but for Tetra it seemed to last an eternity since she felt every new addition to her attire. When the golden light faded, Tetra slowly blinked open her eyes as if she had just woken up.

The back of her right hand pulsed and looked down at it to see why. There, shining through the pure white of her glove, was the symbol of the Triforce. The leftmost triangle burned the brightest.

"No! You impertinent brat!" Ghirahim exclaimed in rage. Tetra, Princess Zelda now, snapped her head up to attention, her wide-eyed gaze drifting over to the demon lord who was glaring at her, making dramatic hand gestures as he spoke, "Why do you children always meddle in these affairs? Can't you leave well enough alone and do as you're told?" Ghirahim took a threatening step toward her. As Zelda, she was defenseless which amplified her fear of Ghirahim. Midna quickly flew over to her, still a bit awestruck by Tetra's new appearance, and declared, "We're leaving now." Tetra soon found her vision blurring out of focus and realized that Midna was warping them both. To where, she had no idea, but anywhere was better than the throne room.

When she could see properly again, she surveyed the area. They were outside of the palace in the courtyard, towards the east side. Tears suddenly brimmed in her eyes and threatened to overflow. Link. Both the one from her world and the one they'd stumbled into were…. Tetra couldn't bring herself to finish the thought. One part of her mind said to cry the other said to stay strong, yet both of them screamed that it was her own fault. Midna tapped her shoulder and Tetra reluctantly raised her bowed head.

The Twilight Princess smiled. It was a sincere smile and this confused her. Why should Midna be smiling like that? She had to have seen what had happened to their companions. She had to care about the boys! Tetra knew that she did, so why was she smiling? Midna seemed to pick up on her confusion and gestured silently for her to follow. Tetra did so a bit skeptically, her curiosity briefly overpowering her grief.

Midna led her up an incline and she trailed behind, a bit unsteadily since she wasn't used to walking in heels with a floor-length dress on. When they crested the small hill Tetra gasped in surprise and disbelief. Link and Kid were standing in the middle of the courtyard completely unharmed. Kid was the first to spot her and Midna. His face lit up when he saw them, and he waved to them in greeting. Tetra hesitantly waved back, still trying to understand the scene in front of her. When Link saw her he seemed confused at first but quickly recovered upon realizing who she was.

Tetra suddenly realized the reason for Midna's hesitance to show herself to Ghirahim. The Twilight Princess had been preoccupied with teleporting Link and Kid out of the palace to aid her at first. Tetra then noticed that the red potion that had been loosely fastened to Kid's belt was absent. That must have been the red liquid she'd seen covering the bricks! She had thought about telling him to secure it better and look what had happened. It had fallen out and shattered!

Tetra didn't know whether she wanted to go over there and slap him for making her think he was dead, or go over there and hug him to death for being alive. Midna drifted closer to the boys, looking over her shoulder, implying that Princess Zelda, Tetra, should follow. A genuine smile concocted of relief and pure happiness found its way onto her face, and she took a step forward.

Suddenly a hand shot out and grabbed her wrist, pulling her back and snatching her smile away.

"Did you really think that you could whisk away my little goddess so easily, Twilight Princess?" Ghirahim wondered, creating a barrier of diamonds around the two of them, separating her from the rest of her companions. Midna attempted to fly over the barrier, and Ghirahim raised a hand, stopping her in midair. With a careless wave of his hand, she was flung backwards with a cry.

"Midna!" Link, Kid, and Tetra shouted out their cries of concern at the same time. Midna managed to right herself and flew back to the barrier. She was halted once again by Ghirahim.

"I've had more than enough of your blasted interference, imp!" Ghirahim spat in anger, "I told Zant that he could have the pleasure of disposing of you. It seems that he endeavored to keep you as a plaything. I had no problem with that decision until you escaped and became a nuisance. Surely Zant won't mind if I return you to him in pieces?" He summoned more daggers. However, instead of appearing in front of him, they appeared in a dancing circle around Midna. Startled, she attempted to get rid of them by flying higher into the air. The deadly ring followed, an ever present hazard.

"Now, I suggest you don't attempt any more rescues. If you so much as take one more step closer, that little ring of blades will impale you from every angle," Ghirahim informed her. Midna appeared to want to say something in retaliation, but Tetra shot her a pleading look in desperation. She didn't want Midna to be hurt because of her. Midna seemed to understand this, though she didn't exactly agree, and reluctantly settled for glaring at Ghirahim.

Link and Kid ran over to the barrier, drawing their swords as if they believed that they had some hope of cutting through the fence. Tetra knew that they didn't though. Ghirahim's magic was strong. She doubted that they could cut through the barrier so easily.

"I'd suspected as much," Ghirahim stated upon seeing the two heroes trying in vain to hack through the diamond fence. "You heroes can't die quietly can you?" He then addressed Tetra, whom was struggling in his grip. "As for you child, I gave you multiple opportunities to surrender, but now you've forced my hand. I have no choice but to murder you."

"Ghirahim if you hurt her I'll kill you," Link promised, his face contorted in anger. Tetra hadn't ever seen him look so angry before and it almost scared her.

"Child, if you're going to threaten me, at least make it believable," Ghirahim sighed in irritation. "And you don't have to worry about me, harming the little girl. I'll simply take what I want and be one my way. This realm will do the rest for me." Before Tetra had time to register his words, Ghirahim grabbed her right hand and pressed down hard on the center of it, causing her to cry out. Tetra tried to pull her hand away. Of course she couldn't simply wrench her hand free. That would be too simple. Her Triforce stood out on the back of her hand, shining brightly like a star begging to be noticed. Ghirahim chanted some words in a language she didn't understand.

She suddenly felt an uncomfortable tugging on her right hand and stopped struggling long enough to see what was happening. A golden triangle hovered just above the back of her hand as Ghirahim held her wrist. It almost felt like there were strings attaching the Triforce of Wisdom to her hand. Those invisible strings stretched as it raised upward, causing Tetra even more discomfort. It wasn't exactly pain, but it wasn't a light tickle either. It was pure pressure. Ghirahim made sure that she couldn't move by holding her tightly around the waist. Before she knew what was happening, Ghirahim snatched the Triforce of Wisdom out of the air and the threads that bound the Triforce of Wisdom to her, snapped.

Immediately she felt all of the power that the Triforce piece had poured into her earlier flow out like a rushing river. Ghirahim released her, but she didn't even notice. Heaviness weighed down her limbs, practically forcing her eyes closed even as she tried to fight it. Her mind fogged up as well. She couldn't think straight. In fact, she couldn't see straight. Everything in front of her was a blend of dark colors. Tetra found herself on the ground next, though she didn't remember falling. Coldness crept into her lungs, freezing her breath. Barely conscious as she was, this caused her to become alarmed. Each breath was a plea for oxygen and each time she was given an icy coldness that just barely satisfied her aching lungs. She could hear shouting that faded into insistent whispers, though she couldn't discern any words.

Even with the haziness in her mind, she could conclude what was happening to her. She was now in the Twilight Realm without any remnants of protection. Because of that, she was prey to the realm. A simple meal. The shadows were overwhelming her light, slowly smothering it. Her spark of life would eventually flicker out. It was only a matter of time until her light would die.


	36. Life or Death

"No!" Link cried, pushing against the barrier that separated him from his fallen companion. He was surprised that he wasn't reprimanded for touching the golden barrier of diamonds, but didn't spend more than a second contemplating it. His gaze was focused on Tetra,  _Princess Zelda_. At first he had his doubts about her being a princess but now that he was seeing it with his own eyes, there was no arguing with the notion. The fair-skinned girl lying on the ground was definitely a princess judging by her regal attire. In fact, it was a princess that he didn't recognize but that didn't matter. He still knew it was Tetra even if he didn't fully comprehend why her appearance had changed since the last time he'd seen her a few minutes ago. He vowed to save her, though he had no idea what he'd do even if he could get to her at the moment.

"Shame I had to waste one…" Ghirahim frowned, prodding Tetra with a foot as if checking to verify that she wouldn't get up. This action didn't provoke any sound from her. She simply laid there, completely still.

"Leave her alone! You have what you want. Now leave!" Midna demanded, positively seething.

"Leave? Why would I leave at a time like this?" Ghirahim wondered, almost as if he expected her to answer. He continued before Midna could retort. "One piece of the Triforce is useless on its own as I'm sure your people know."

Midna balled her hands into fists for lack of a better thing to do in her position, stuck as she was in the air with lethal daggers trained on her. "You're asking to die," she growled, murder standing out clearly in her eyes, "It's more than enough to hurt one of my friends but you're well over the line when you degrade my people!"

"Your people, degrade themselves my dear," Ghirahim informed her as if it was old news and she'd just now got the memo, "Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to collect some courage before I depart this realm and move on to more pressing matters."

Link tightened his grip on the Master Sword. It buzzed in his hand as if sending him its reassurance. He was still clinging to the hope that his strength combined with Kid's was enough to best Ghirahim.

The demon lord snapped his fingers and disappeared in a flash of white, red, and yellow diamonds. Beside him, Kid tensed preparing for battle. Link scanned the bleak courtyard for any sign of his enemy. Suddenly a bright white light lit up his peripheral vision, and he found himself in the air for a brief second before the unyielding gray tiles that decorated the ground caught him.

"Now  _this_  is disappointing, I expected more of a fight," Ghirahim sighed. Wincing from the newfound pain in his left shoulder, Link sat up so he could clearly see the sword spirit. He found it odd that Ghirahim and Fi were both sword spirits, yet Ghirahim displayed more abilities. Not to say that Fi wasn't helpful, because she was, but Ghirahim took on a form that better imitated a human's, and he could use magic. He also seemed to have a wide range of emotions from what Link had witnessed thus far. Ghirahim was truly Fi's opposite.

"If it's a fight you want, I'm more than happy to give it," Link announced fearlessly, getting to his feet and twirling the Master Sword in his hand as if to taunt the demon lord. The pain in his shoulder had subsided to a dull ache, but Link suspected he'd have a bruise to show for it later.

Ghirahim looked him over and scoffed as if displeased by what he saw. "You'll cause problems certainly…" Ghirahim's eyes flicked to the sword in Link's grip. "However, dealing with you will take up more time than I am willing to sacrifice, so why don't you be a good boy and stay out of my way?" Ghirahim waved his hand in Link's direction and a wall of flames suddenly ignited in front of his face, causing him to stumble back. After getting over his initial shock, Link inspected the flames more closely. He could clearly discern the diamonds that made up the fire, bending and weaving themselves back together like real flames would. However, unlike the golden fence, Link detected heat emanating from this new blockade and concluded that touching it wouldn't end well.

Link focused his gaze on Ghirahim, the leaping flame-like gems distorting his vision slightly. Kid, who had been thrown by the explosion earlier as well, was now on his feet, sword and shield held at the ready as Ghirahim slowly advanced. Even through the shifting barrier, Link could see that Kid's stance was slightly off.

Endeavoring to find a way to help his counterpart, Link searched for a way around the flames. However, there wasn't any way for him to get by. The flames stretched from one side to the other so going around wasn't an option and they were too high to simply leap over. He redirected his attention to Kid and Ghirahim as he wracked his brain for a solution.

Link watched as Kid stood his ground. As soon as Ghirahim was within hitting range, Kid jumped up, intending to perform a helm splitter to get out of the corner he was backed into. Ghirahim calmly reached above his head and grabbed the blade in two fingers. Carried by his momentum Kid's sword was relinquished to Ghirahim. Surprised by this unexpected turn of events Kid was startled into surrendering his form before he hit the ground behind Ghirahim which resulted in him landing on his stomach.

Ghirahim flipped the sword around so he was holding it properly. He inspected the blade for a few seconds before stating, "Ha! This is the blade you wield with pride? It doesn't even shine. It has no style. No beauty. This piece of metal is worthless! Such a dull thing couldn't possibly mar my exquisite features." Ghirahim then tossed Kid's sword carelessly aside, nearly sending it over the edge. Fortunately, the sword skidded to a stop before it could fall into the abyss of perpetual twilight.

Realizing that he was now weaponless, Kid scrambled to his feet, shield held up in defense as he backed away from Ghirahim who regarded him with an apathetic air. Link knew that he had to step in now more than ever. Sure, Kid had weapons, but Link doubted any of them would deal actual damage to the demon lord. Kid's sword had been cast aside as if it were a mere toy, and Link had a feeling that the rest of Kid's arsenal, no matter how impressive it was, was just as useless.

Link was positive that he had a chance of defying Ghirahim though. There was a reason why Ghirahim chose to prey on Kid instead of him. He wielded the Master Sword, the only weapon that could actually harm the evil sword spirit. It was only natural that Ghirahim would choose to ignore its presence. However, Link's opportunity was currently nonexistent and would remain that way unless he found a way past the flames constructed of diamonds.

' _That's it,'_  Link realized, his eyes drifting from the fight down to the light encased sword in his hand. The Master Sword was the solution, if only temporary, to get Kid out of the predicament he was in.

"Kid, catch!" Link shouted, waiting for Kid to turn around before throwing the Master Sword over the hungry flames. Kid, thankfully, caught it by the hilt and whirled around to brandish it at the demon lord. Confident that Kid could handle himself for the time being with assistance from Fi, Link began to contemplate a way to snuff out the flames separating him from the ongoing battle. Water might work but he'd need copious of it, and he didn't even have a drop to expend. The blaze was too large to stamp out and attempting such a feat would probably just earn him some burns. The only other way that Link could think of to end the barrier's existence was to blow it away. However, he'd need a strong gust of wind for that, and the Twilight Realm barely offered up a whisper of a breeze.

Suddenly Link was struck by an idea. Praying that it would work, he dug out the Gale Boomerang from his possessions. He threw the wind-blessed weapon directly into the magical fire before him. A mini tornado of wind trailed in its wake, snuffing out the flames just as he'd hoped. Link caught the boomerang, silently thanking the fairy of winds that had made his escape possible as he put it away.

He ran through the opening in the wall of flames without a second thought. Alerted by his hurried footsteps, Ghirahim's attention was momentarily diverted from Kid, and came to rest on Link. When he saw that Link had managed to snuff out a portion of the cage of flames, his features contorted in anger.

"You can't just sit quietly, can you?" Ghirahim yelled, infuriated by Link's defiance.

"You'll have to do better than that to keep me away!" Link informed him.

"So I see…" Ghirahim trailed off narrowing his eyes at Link, "However, you seem to forget that I have your friend in a most unfavorable position. All it takes is one snap of my fingers, and she'll be in pieces. Neither of you want to be responsible for her death, now do you? So why don't one of you step forward and surrender your Triforce piece to me?" That froze Link in his tracks and seriously took the time to consider Ghirahim's words.

"No way! Don't do it!" Midna exclaimed. Link was about to argue with her. He couldn't allow Ghirahim to kill her. Not only was she his friend, she was the ruler of the Twilight Realm. Without her, her realm would be sacrificed to the awaiting hands of Zant. However, he detected a spark in her eyes. Midna had a plan. She silently begged him to trust her and he did.

Without a word, Link and Kid charged forward, aiming for opposite sides. Their enemy snapped his fingers and Link's attention was immediately redirected to Midna. The glowing diamond-shaped daggers swirling around her congregated to the center in unison, yet they met with a flurry of twilight particles instead of their initial target. Satisfied that she was safe, Link focused his attention on Kid who caught his eye, sending a silent message. Link understood immediately and gave the tiniest of nods in acknowledgement. Ghirahim paid no attention to Link's advance since he had no weapon with which to harm him with. Kid acted as if he was going to execute a horizontal slice on Ghirahim's side and the demon lord was already in position to block to the attack. Little did Ghirahim known that it was a diversion. At the last minute Kid overshot his target and tossed the sword to Link who caught it in his right hand.

Ghirahim swiftly turned around to face Link, obviously caught off guard but attempting to redeem himself. He wasn't able to reposition his defenses in time for Link didn't have to waste time switching hands. He was ambidextrous, so his right hand served him just as well as his left, and he managed to make two clean cuts before the shocked demon lord could regain his enough of his composure to teleport away.

"You're like irksome puppies nipping at my heels!" Ghirahim shouted in agitation when he reappeared some distance away. He snapped his fingers and a thin black sword materialized in his hand. "It seems I have to kill you to get across the message that I'm not in the mood to play!"

The demon crouched down in a battle stance and Link and Kid were sensible enough to recognize it as an attack. They scattered to opposite sides to evade it. Ghirahim chose to target Kid since he was defenseless. Link attempted to hit him while his back was turned, but this particular action had been anticipated for metal soon grated on metal as Ghirahim's saber-like sword met his.

Link broke the connection and stepped to the right, tossing the Master Sword to Kid. Once again, Ghirahim wasn't fast enough to react and damage was dealt before he could free himself from the barrage of attacks. For the next few minutes the battle proceeded in much the same fashion with Link and Kid exchanging the Master Sword between the two of them and Ghirahim becoming increasingly infuriated with every successful hit they landed.

When Ghirahim disappeared next, he let out a growl of irritation. The garish demon lord reappeared between Link and Kid, an equal distance away from both of them. With a snap of his fingers a ring of red and black daggers appeared around Link. Glancing at his companion, he was sure that their alarmed expressions mirrored each other. They were both the center of which gleaming daggers circumnavigated.

"Fi," Link immediately called on his sword spirit hoping that she had a solution. Never one to disappoint, Fi appeared with the information that he needed.

"My data suggests that executing a spin attack will dispel the daggers," Fi announced in her now all too familiar monotone. Link nodded his thanks and performed a spin attack as she suggested. The daggers immediately disappeared, however a cry of pain met Link's ears, and he snapped his head up to locate the source.

Kid was now on his knees, head bowed. Link was puzzled at first as to why since Ghirahim hadn't moved an inch. Then he noticed the smirk on the demon lord's face and realization hit him full force. The ring of daggers that had previously been swirling around Kid was now absent. There was no way for the younger boy to have dispelled the daggers like Link had though which only left one option. At the same time that Link had repelled the daggers surrounding him, Ghirahim had activated the daggers targeting his counterpart. Which meant that Link had just accidentally hurt Kid to protect himself.

Link attempted to run to Kid's side. He still had his potion. Even if it didn't heal his counterpart completely it would still help. Unfortunately Link failed to notice Ghirahim crouching down into an attacking position and before he knew it the demon lord was rushing to meet him as he ran. Link noticed his presence too late to dodge. Evading the attack was impossible and it seemed to occur in slow motion as Ghirahim passed him and pain exploded like fireworks in his right side.

He soon found himself being supported by the ground, glaring at Ghirahim as he witnessed the demon flick out a disturbingly long tongue and lick the edge of his blade. Link grit his teeth. This guy was seriously repulsive. The Master Sword lay a few inches away, but Link was too preoccupied with attempting to push the pain to the back of his mind and force himself to his feet to care. Just as he managed a somewhat unstable standing position, a golden barrier appeared, obstructing his path for the second time that day. Kid had dropped his shield but snapped to attention when he realized that Ghirahim was approaching him.

Link pressed his hands to the barrier, partly to support himself, and partly because of his wish to push past the fence and aid his counterpart. Powerless to do anything but be a spectator to the awful scene before him, Link watched as Ghirahim forced Kid to his feet, restricting his movements by pressing the black sword he held to the child's neck.

The Triforce stood out on the back of Kid's left hand, shining brightly through the gloom of the Twilight Realm as if in a feeble attempt to protect its bearer. Kid instinctively tried to pull away when Ghirahim began to repeat the same spell that he had used before on Zelda's counterpart. However, Kid was quickly reminded of the ebony blade threatening his life and chose to remain still. A single golden triangle appeared hovering over the back of his hand. Once it had raised to Ghirahim's eye-level, he swiped it out of the air, claiming it as his own. The Triforce of Courage that Kid had worked so hard to obtain. In just a few seconds, it was gone. It was funny how long things could take to build, and how easily they could be knocked down, stolen without any remorse. With that, Ghirahim released Kid and stepped back, waiting expectantly.

Link watched as a strange expression passed over Kid's face. He couldn't describe what his counterpart was feeling. His emotions seemed to be caught somewhere between fatigued and panicked. Kid collapsed, and Link cursed at his own helplessness.

Ghirahim then turned his attention to Link. "As much as I'd  _love_  to drain every last ounce of blood from your body, I simply don't have time," Ghirahim sighed in a disappointed fashion, twirling his sword in his hand as he spoke, "Shame I can't stay to watch the suffering. That's my favorite part. Oh well… I suppose I'll have my adversary finish you off. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have additional business to attend to." With that, Ghirahim drew a circle in the air before him and disappeared in a shimmer of white and black diamonds.

The golden barrier vanished along with its creator and Link stumbled forward, failing to realize that he'd been pushing against it the entire time. Ignoring the sting in his side, Link bolted over to his fallen companion, kneeling down next to him to assess the damage.

Now that he was closer he could see exactly what the daggers had done. Cuts laced his form, dripping red. None of them seemed to be that deep though. He was more concerned about Kid's breathing which was coming in short gasps as if he couldn't exactly catch the air and keep it in his lungs.

"Kid," Link said, practically pleading with the younger boy to open his eyes. Link was surprised and relieved at the same time when he did, even if it was only halfway. He appeared to want to say something, but Link was quick to shush him, telling him to focus on breathing instead.

Midna slipped out of his shadow, which had served as a safe haven during the battle, and stood beside him. "This is bad…this is really bad…" Midna muttered more to herself than to him.

"What do we do?" Link questioned her feeling lost. He loathed the fact that he didn't know what to do. Kid's eyes had slid shut again when Link returned his attention to his counterpart. He gently tried to shake him awake, calling his name, but to no avail. Kid wouldn't open his eyes again no matter what he tried, and Link felt hot tears burning behind his eyes. Not because he was sad. Well, he was, but he was mostly angry at Ghirahim, at himself for not seeing the trick, and at the goddesses for bestowing such a power to children younger than himself. He'd barely been able to handle the pressure at times, so how were they supposed to cope with it? All the Triforce did was put its bearers, and the entire world, in danger. It didn't save lives. It destroyed them. Bitterness caused Link to ponder why the Triforce was even created in the first place.

"We can still save them, I think," Midna announced.

"How?" Link demanded. If there was hope, he'd follow it blindly so long as his companions were guaranteed to be okay at the end of it.

"Well…remember when I was hurt by that light spirit in your realm? Lanayru?" Midna asked. At Link's urgent nod she continued, "This is sort of the same thing."

"So if I give him my piece of the Triforce then he'll be fine?" Link clarified, fully prepared to do so even though he didn't exactly know how.

"No! Don't do that!" Midna cried, quickly stopping him before he could run away with the notion, "It would work, but it would put you in the same predicament as him right now, and in case a certain princess has slipped your mind, there's two of them. There's no way you'd be able to choose only one to save." Link immediately felt ashamed. He had momentarily forgotten about Tetra.

"What do we do then?" Link wanted to know, his voice a bit softer than it had been before. Now wasn't the time to freak out. He had to keep a cool head, which was sometimes a challenge for him in dire situations. Snapping at Midna wouldn't solve problems, it would only create more.

"The way I see it, we have two options. Either we get their Triforce pieces back or we get them to the light realm," Midna answered.

"Those are two very impossible things, Midna!" Link exclaimed, despair creeping into his voice despite his not wanting it to, "Ghirahim has their Triforce pieces and goddesses only knows where he went! And we never even thought of how we would be getting  _out_  of the Twilight Realm! We were too focused on devising a plan to get in!"

"You're right," Midna admitted but quickly continued before Link could cut her off, "but I actually do know a way out. We can't reclaim their Triforce pieces but we  _can_ get to the light realm."

"How do we do that?" Link wondered.

"Zant's the key. When they brought me in here, and I was pretending to be unconscious, I finally discovered Zant's little secret to switching between realms. It's all in his helmet. There's a red gem at the base of it. That's what gives him the power to create portals. If I can just touch it, I'm sure I can tap into its power and create a portal to the light realm for us," Midna explained confidently.

"Alright…then where's Zant?" Link inquired.

Midna shrugged. "I don't know, but if Ghirahim's parting words are anything to go by then I'd say he'll be coming to us shortly."

"We don't exactly have time to wait around though," Link pointed out.

"We shouldn't have to wait long," Midna assured him, "For now, go get your sword. If Zant shows up and you're unarmed then we really won't be getting out of here. I'll need you to distract him for me. Oh, and drink your potion. Your side doesn't look too good."

Link obeyed her first order but ignored the second. He intended to save the red potion for Kid. Midna stored away Kid's sword and shield for the time being, and they were left waiting once again. Midna left his side once to see how Tetra was doing. She came back to report that she was in the same condition as Kid, which only invigorated Link to get them out of the Twilight Realm even faster. Midna pestered him until he drank the red potion in his possession, claiming that they could always get one for Kid in the light realm later. Link only agreed because he was beginning to feel light-headed and would rather not pass out and leave Midna alone to fix things.

Zant appeared in the courtyard quite suddenly, and Link found himself startled by the Twili's presence even though he'd been expecting his arrival. Zant wasted no time in idle chit-chat, for which Link was grateful. During the battle his injury slowed him down considerably, but Link managed to prevent himself from earning any new wounds.

While Zant's fighting style was just as erratic and unorthodox as Link recalled, he simply knew it was taking up precious time. The openings that he was guaranteed if he were patient were not enough for him. He wanted to beat Zant now, or at least get him in a position where Midna, who was concealed in his shadow, could dart out and touch the gem that would be their ticket out of the Twilight Realm.

After a few more agonizing minutes passed, Link finally spotted the perfect opportunity to strike when Zant finished his deadly spin with his dual blades. Disoriented as he was, Zant barely noticed as Midna slipped out of his shadow and touched her hand to the scarlet gem at the base of his helmet. She flew out of range before he could retaliate, and Link sheathed his sword, running past him as well. He focused on Midna who was flying closer to where Tetra lay. She opened the portal there, a blocky black and red doorway to the light realm. Knowing that she'd get Tetra through, Link aimed for Kid, redirecting his path slightly. He barely even paused to scoop up the younger boy in his arms, stumbling as he did so but fortunately able to keep his footing despite the reminder that his wound sent screaming through his brain of its unfortunate existence.

Zant suddenly appeared in front of him, but Link wouldn't let the Twili usurper prevent him from reaching his goal. He narrowly ducked under Zant's blades and continued running. Up ahead he could see the portal wavering like an image disturbed in a once calm pool. Midna had already taken Tetra through the portal with her, so he doubted that she'd return, and if he didn't make it in time then he'd be officially stuck unless Zant had a change of heart in the next five minutes and decided to create a portal for him. The likeliness of that happening though was zero to none.

Link put all his energy into running, each step propelling him closer to his goal. He was certain that the portal was closing at the exact moment that he stepped through it. However, this didn't seem to affect the end result for he found himself in a new place and skidded to a stop, breathing hard as he attempted to regain his lost breath. He'd made it. Somehow.

"Good timing. I thought you weren't going to make it," Midna commented.

"Never…again," Link managed to gasp. When he could speak without taking a breath he questioned Midna, "Where exactly did you put us?"

"Well…I don't really know," Midna admitted, glancing around, "I mean…it looks like the sewers. You know, the way we went when we first met in the twilight? I was trying to warp us into the castle, but this works too, I guess." Link wrinkled his nose as his heightened senses picked up the unpleasant scent of the underground waterway. Definitely the sewers. Thankfully the portal had placed them on a dry outcropping of stone towards the side, well away from the water, so they didn't have to get wet.

Link carefully laid Kid down next to Tetra. Both of them were still unconscious, but their breathing appeared to be improving already.

"Do you think Zant will follow us?" Link wondered, glancing up at Midna.

"He might try, but I don't think he knows where we went. To be fair,  _I_ didn't where I was taking us before we got here, so even if he wanted to follow us, the chances of him doing so successfully are slim," Midna declared, floating closer to the ground.

The silence that settled over the pair didn't last long for Midna shattered it, feeling the need for discussion. "She looks so different," Midna commented scrutinizing Tetra.

As Link took the time to register her new appearance, he truly couldn't believe she was the same feisty and self-willed girl he'd known for over a week. If he didn't know any better he would have said that she was a stranger. Her sun-tanned skin that he'd grown accustomed to seeing was now pallid, almost completely white as if the sun's rays had never touched it. The pale blonde hair that framed her face and traveled down her back in gentle waves contrasted the bright blonde updo that she had previously sported. There was even a nuance in her facial features. They were softer, more delicate than before. She certainly fit the image of a typical princess. Link could only wonder if she'd act like one when she woke up.

"How did you guys find the other piece of her Triforce of Wisdom?" Link questioned Midna.

"Apparently Ghirahim had it. I don't know how, but he did. By the time I showed up Tetra was already fighting him, and when I intervened she was really determined to get the other fragment that Ghirahim had suspended in the air with his magic. I helped her get it and when she combined it with her necklace you should have seen the light it created! It was so bright that I could see it even when I closed my eyes and turned away. When I looked again a girl I didn't recognize stood in Tetra's place. It took me a few seconds to realize that it was actually her…" Midna trailed off, studying Tetra once again.

"If Ghirahim wanted the Triforce of Wisdom then why was he only targeting Tetra?" Link inquired.

"Huh…good question. Maybe Tetra can answer it when she wakes up," Midna suggested, putting her head in her hand in a bored fashion.

"When will that be do you think?" Link asked, growing impatient.

Midna shrugged, "Hard to say. I'm not really an expert on this concept. They'll definitely be okay now that they're in the light realm, but I don't know how long it'll take for them to be back to full health." That wasn't what Link had wanted to hear. He'd wanted her to tell him that they'd bounce back right away, but even he knew that wasn't realistic. Their breathing was just beginning to skim the edge of rhythmic. It would take some time before they could shake away whatever shadowy threads that had bound them to sleep and enter the conscious world.

Despite Midna telling him that their companions would be fine, Link couldn't help but worry. The light realm didn't fix the numerous cuts that Ghirahim's daggers had made on Kid's skin, and he didn't have another potion. By now he supposed he should expect the unexpected and bring extra supplies regardless of their mission, but, like the fool he was, he hadn't done so. Link searched through his belongings anyway. Just as expected, he didn't find anything, but it gave him something to do. Midna decided to slip into his shadow upon coming to the conclusion that they couldn't do much of anything until Kid and Tetra woke up. Until then it was an anxiety-filled waiting game for Link.

Now that the adrenaline from earlier had dwindled down to a nonexistent flicker, the wound in Link's side vied for his attention. He eventually gave it, examining the injury. It wasn't as deep as he'd first imagined it was, though it was deep enough to hurt every time he moved, and even when he didn't for that matter. If he hadn't drank the potion earlier, he was positive that it would be much worse than it currently was. Link supposed he deserved it though. He'd been reckless after all and had unintentionally hurt Kid for which he remained adamantly guilty about.

His eyes wandered to his unconscious counterpart. If he didn't know any better, he'd say that Kid was simply sleeping. He still looked paler than normal but had regained some of his color at least. Bright crimson streaked his tunic in various places, mostly on his sides. There didn't seem to be that many now that Link took the time to look. Nonetheless he still wanted to give him a potion when they got a chance.

The day had started off so well. Link couldn't believe that it had fallen apart like this. Every single detail of their plan had engrained itself into his brain. He knew it forwards and backwards. They had accounted for everything except the possibility that Ghirahim wouldn't allow them to pose their offer. Fi had said there was a good chance of him accepting the deal, but Link realized that even Fi had her limits of credibility. Her calculations could be wrong. Adding a foreign variable mixed up the equation beyond recognition so no one could possibly put it back together, much less solve it. Reflecting on the plan he realized that it wasn't as grand as he'd first thought. It wasn't well conceived. There were loose ends everywhere, and that had been their undoing.

Yesterday he'd been so excited to hear about Kid and Tetra's world that he overlooked those hanging threads. He was still astonished that the Hyrule in the alternate world had been flooded. He was aware of oceans, he'd just never seen one. He couldn't imagine the vast expanse of water even with the help of Kid's sea chart, which was about as foreign to him as the ancient texts that Shad poured over so diligently. As for Kid's adventure he definitely had to give the younger boy credit where it was due. Kid had literally been forced to go on a rescue mission on his  _birthday_  no less. The way that his self-driven rescue mission had transformed into saving the world still awed Link. The monsters he had faced, the challenges he overcame and all, more or less, on his own! For the most part he'd been alone in it all. He had guidance of course, and there's nothing wrong with guidance, but on long journeys you need company. Kid didn't have anyone to talk to in those temples, with the exceptions of the last two where Medli and Makar joined him, so Link thought it a miracle that Kid seemed to be, more or less, unbroken after it all.

Link knew that if he himself didn't have Midna's companionship during the invasion of Twilight, he would probably have gone insane from the stress of everything. Even though she'd been a bit cruel at times, company was company. The fact that Kid had killed Ganondorf was a strange concept to wrap his head around. The notion became harder to accept when Link recalled the brutal manner in which Kid had elaborated that he'd done so. While he didn't doubt Kid's strength he couldn't imagine the younger boy stabbing anyone mercilessly in the head, evil or not.

Tetra was an interesting case as well. Raised a pirate, sailing the seas with no boundaries, free to do anything she pleased with no one to defy her. It made sense why she thought she had authority over every living thing. According to her, she wasn't just a pirate. She was a captain. While he didn't directly shoot down the prospect as false, he couldn't put full faith in it either. Tetra had said her crew was composed of six men. Men, not boys. From what he'd seen, Link knew that Tetra could intimidate other children without a problem, but he had yet to witness her work her magic on adults. Link did have to feel sorry for her even though he knew she didn't want him to. He felt sorry for Kid too. They were both orphaned, forced to follow fate down a dark path that would shape their futures which didn't actually seem all that bright the more he thought about it. What did they have to look forward to? A New Hyrule? That was only if they managed to find it and after the existence of the Great Sea for centuries Link would think that if there was an empty expanse of land out there waiting to be discovered then someone would have already uncovered it by now.

After all of the time that they'd traveled together Link found it silly that he was just now feeling as if he truly knew his companions. They were more than just random kids that the goddesses, correction, Hylia, had dropped from the sky.

Movement pulled him out of his hazy thoughts and refocused his concerned gaze on the unrecognizable girl next to Kid. She slowly opened her eyes and Link was surprised that they had not been painted a different color by the magic that had transformed her. Her deep blue eyes appeared to be the only trait that she retained as Princess Zelda. Even so, he noticed differences right away. Her eyes were naturally wider and more innocent looking than they'd previously been though maybe it was just the make-up she wore that gave off the impression. She sat up unaided which Link took as a good sign. If she could sit up, that meant she was regaining her strength.

"How are you feeling?" Link ventured, figuring he should say something. His voice seemed to spook her, and she turned to him, confusion and something that Link couldn't quite place swirling in her eyes.

After a few seconds she realized that he was waiting for an answer and dropped her blue gaze before saying quietly, "Little sleepy, but I just woke up." Her voice startled him. She'd informed him about the physical change yesterday, but she never said anything about her voice sounding different. It wasn't a major change but it was enough of one for him to think that she was someone else. Tetra normally spoke with a confident, assertive air, with the exception of yesterday, but this girl in front of him didn't even come close to speaking in the same manner. She spoke in a restrained fashion with a small voice as if she was afraid to be heard or worried that her words weren't the right ones.

"T-that's it?" Link checked, unable to keep himself from stammering as he was still taken aback by her altered voice. "You're completely okay otherwise?"

"Yes," she replied. If he'd been speaking with the Tetra he was familiar with he wouldn't have believed her right away. However, something about the way she said it now made him sure that she was telling the truth. The hesitance in her voice somehow caused him to believe that her answer was sincere.

"Where are we?" Tetra asked, raising her head to look at him.

"We're in the sewers underneath castle town," Link answered her, quickly continuing when an uncertain expression passed over her face, "It was the only place that Midna could get us to on short notice, but we're back in Hyrule anyway."

Her eyes drifted down to her hand, and she traced the place where the Triforce had once been. "It's gone," she stated simply, sadness weaving her words.

"Don't worry, we'll get your pieces back," Link reassured her.

"Pieces?" she wondered, daring to look at him again. He wordlessly pointed to Kid.

When she caught sight of him she gasped, "How…how did that happen?" Before he could answer her, she took notice of the wound on his side and he could see her deep blue pools beginning to shine. Alarmed and attempting to stop her from crying, Link quickly exclaimed, "I'm okay! Really, it's not that bad, and I already took a potion for it."

She dropped her gaze to her lap again whispering one word that took Link a few seconds to comprehend. Sorry.

"Sorry? Sorry for what?" Link wondered, puzzled as to why she was apologizing. She didn't have anything to apologize for. It wasn't like she was the one that had injured him.

"It's my fault that you're both hurt," Tetra clarified, nearly choking on the words as she forced them out.

"No, it's not," Link attempted to reassure her, "It's my own fault. I was being reckless."

"You wouldn't have even had to fight if I would have figured it out sooner," Tetra replied, struggling to keep her voice steady.

"Figured what out sooner?" Link asked.

"I knew everything that was going to happen before it did…" Tetra said, seemingly without acknowledging his question.

"What are you talking about?" Link questioned her, a bit louder and more insistent this time to make sure she heard him.

"What happened back in the throne room," Tetra answered, "I knew it was going to happen. I should have stopped it."

"If you knew our plan would fail then why didn't you tell us?" Link wanted to know.

"I didn't know the plan would fail," Tetra shook her head a little at his misunderstanding, "I didn't know when it would happen. I didn't know where it would happen. I just knew that it would happen at some point."

"How did you know it was going to happen?" Link inquired. If he could just get one clear answer out of her he might be able to follow her train of thought. As it was at the moment, he was hopelessly lost.

"I had a dream," she replied simply as if it explained everything.

"A dream?" Link repeated uncertainly, "Dreams aren't real though."

"Prophetic dreams are," Tetra countered, though not with the bite that an argument from Tetra would normally warrant.

"You have prophetic dreams?" Link wondered in awe. That was practically like having the ability to see the future!

"Yes. I had one a while ago. The night before we went into the second temple," Tetra said, "I didn't tell you or Zelda because I thought that you two would be able to figure out that I was…well." She gestured at herself to explain the rest but Link understood what she was saying and urged her to continue. "I told Kid and Midna about it later, and we came up with a solution to prevent it from happening, but we should have thought about it more, or at least I should have."

Midna slipped out of his shadow just then and added her own opinion, "That's not true and you know it! The entire point of coming up with a solution was to make sure you didn't have to worry about it anymore, so there was no reason for you to give it a second thought."

"But-" Tetra attempted to argue.

Link abruptly cut her off, "Stop. None of it was your fault, got it?"

She reluctantly nodded, biting her bottom as if to keep herself from saying anything else.

"What I want to know is what happened after I teleported the boys out of there. I couldn't come back for a while because I had to recharge my magic, so besides fighting, what happened? Did Ghirahim tell you anything exclusive?" Midna questioned eagerly.

"We unintentionally gave him everything he wanted," Tetra announced, "Ghirahim had been trapped in his sword form for years, centuries, probably millennia or since somewhere near the beginning of time, whenever that was. Needless to say, he'd been imprisoned for a very long time and the seal that kept him quiet gradually began to weaken. By the time you had defeated Ganondorf in this world, the seal just needed one more burst of magic energy to undo it completely. That would have taken at least a couple more hundred years though. However, when my friends and I came here the magic that was released for us to travel here became the key to unlock his prison. We let him out early."

"No way…" Link breathed in shock. Tetra wasn't finished though and Link braced himself for what she'd tell them next.

"Then we got the riddle that the goddess had left for us and found you and Princess Zelda. We all traveled to the temples, collecting what we were instructed to. We were led to the Master Sword and awakened Fi from her slumber which should have lasted for an eternity. Awakening her released a power she had guarded within her. Ghirahim's power, not the Demon King's. After that we basically delivered ourselves to his doorstep which let him take what he wanted."

"We did all that?" Link wondered, stunned. He couldn't believe it. They'd been tricked from the very beginning. Everything they'd been working towards had lead them closer to the destruction of both of their worlds.

"Then this plan of the goddesses…it's been completely wrong this whole time. It helped what it was intended to prevent," Midna stated, just as shocked as he was, "It was doomed to fail from the beginning!"

"If we deviate from Hylia's plan now then we should have a chance though, right?" Link suggested.

"What's left to deviate from? We've already followed it faithfully. There isn't a path left to follow. We're on our own anyway. Whatever we do now…I don't know it we can possibly fix what we started," Tetra confided, raising her bowed head and locking her eyes with his. Link didn't know what to say to that. She was right after all. How could they fix something that seemed to be so broken beyond repair?

"Well, we're still alive," Midna pointed out after a brief pause, "so there's no way we lost yet. We can still stop him. Did you figure out his plan by any chance?"

"No. He wouldn't tell me," Tetra answered, "All I know is that he wanted the Triforce of Wisdom and my…" She didn't finish her sentence. Instead she drew in a sharp intake of breath and leapt to her feet, a familiar fire burning in the depths of her eyes. Suddenly there was no mistaking her identity.

"What is it?" Link ventured cautiously, startled by her sudden action. She'd been hanging her head in shame just a minute ago.

"Zelda. Princess Zelda. She's in trouble! We have to go rescue her!" Tetra exclaimed, desperation glinting in her eyes.

"How do you know Zelda's in trouble?" Midna wondered, "You don't have the Triforce of Wisdom anymore, so you can't possibly sense it."

"No, no! It's not that! Just trust me. We have to go, now!" Tetra insisted.

"Whoa, calm down," Link instructed, getting up to steady her when she wavered on her feet, "Explain to me what you mean. Why is Zelda in danger?"

"Because Ghirahim didn't get everything he wanted from me!" Tetra cried, practically pleading with him to go now and ask questions later, "He didn't just want my Triforce piece. He also wanted my soul!"

"Your soul? Why?" Link interrogated her.

"It's divine," she explained in a hurry, "He needs the soul of a goddess for his plan. Princess Zelda has the same soul as me, just like you and Kid share a soul. That's why he must have gone after her!"

Suddenly the pieces clicked together, and Link realized what Ghirahim's "additional business" was. Zelda had Hyrule's army to back her up, but he knew they wouldn't be enough. Compared to Ghirahim's power, they were sticks, and he'd break them all to get to Zelda.

Link knew that they needed to reach the princess as soon as possible but he couldn't ignore the condition his group was in. He himself was injured, Midna was low on magic, Kid was both unconscious and wounded, and Tetra was defenseless as far as he knew. They weren't exactly ready to face Ghirahim so soon after just barely escaping with their lives.

"Don't you get it yet? Link, we have to go!" Tetra reminded him, urgency lacing her tone.

"Alright, I know but…Kid still hasn't woken up yet," Link indicated Kid with a nod of his head. Tetra's eyes found Kid's sleeping form on the ground and concern for her friend momentarily replaced her fear for her counterpart.

"Look, we can't wait for him to wake up," Midna announced, "Link you'll just have to carry him. I can recharge at least some of my power in your shadow, so by the time we reach Ghirahim and Zelda maybe I can do something to help out."

"Okay," Link replied as Midna disappeared into his shadow. He then turned to Tetra. "You can walk, right?"

"Yes, I think so," she responded, her tone bit dubious. That was good enough for Link. He carefully picked up Kid, becoming concerned once again when his counterpart didn't even stir. There was little he could do at the moment. They had to get moving now if they wanted to help Zelda.

"Follow me, and stay close," Link ordered Tetra.

"I will," she promised. That was it then. They were on their way to save Princess Zelda.


	37. The Beginning of the End

Unconsciousness was a strange thing. It wasn't exactly a state of sleeping as it yielded no dreams. However, that was not to say that everything was completely black and devoid of life. It was more like being trapped in your own mind with the inability to think clearly. If you did manage to have a few muddled thoughts now and then, the void of pressing pitch would retreat into a different color scheme or setting that you wished to see or simply recalled to give yourself something more fascinating to behold.

It wasn't really seeing. It was more akin to your mind's eye envisioning a picture. Regardless, it never lasted more than a few seconds, and Kid soon forgot the vision after the black replaced it again. On a few occasions he felt as if he was half conscious since he could hear voices. However, he couldn't identify a specific owner and the words being spoken were always muffled and echoed like their owners were lost somewhere in the shadowy depths of a cave.

He didn't feel anything. No pain, no hard ground beneath him, or even the fabric of his clothes brushing against his skin. It was as if he was a part of the blackness. Sometimes his mind told him that he should be scared, but he wasn't. Perhaps it was because of the fact that he could not feel that he lacked emotion as well. Fear and happiness, relief and concern…they were just jumbled words lost somewhere in the dark along with him. They didn't register as good or bad. They simply existed.

There was no way to judge time in that place. He couldn't even judge how big the area was. As small as a rupee? As endless as the ocean? He couldn't tell and his brain refused to focus on anything for more than a couple seconds to allow him to puzzle out the answer.

Suddenly the black receded like a curtain to reveal a bizarre scene that did not fade out of existence like the others. The background seemed to be constantly changing from what looked like a calm spring, to some place that appeared to be a courtyard of some kind, to a grassy plain, to an open sky in a sea of clouds. Through all of this there was one constant. A girl that he didn't recognize was cradling a small harp, plucking at its strings. Despite her motions, he couldn't hear anything. The instrument produced no sound.

There wasn't much certainty in his situation, but Kid was almost positive that this was not a dream. It wasn't real of course, but it wasn't a dream of any kind either. His senses still hadn't returned to him, so all he could do was survey the soundless scene before him and try in vain to understand what it was he was seeing.

It seemed as if he was half in and half out of the blackness, caught somewhere between unconsciousness and a dream. The landscape before him was colorless, a pallet of black, white, and gray, but it held more illumination than the dark void he was currently a part of did. It was tantalizing, just within reach, if only he could step into it. However, Kid soon found that trying to move limbs you couldn't feel, or rightfully see, was impossible.

The darkness clung to him like a stubborn child who didn't want to let go of its toy. Kid desperately yearned to reach the dim scene. Though it was dull, it promised something more than the black nothingness did.

Somehow, he didn't quite know how, he managed to wrench himself free of the icy, grasping fingers in the dark and step into the new scene. Instantly color sprang to his eyes and for a split second he was in the same strange place as the girl in the dress that he could now see truly was white. Sound returned to him as well and he barely caught the lilt of her voice as she sang with the vibrations of the golden harp's strings to accompany her. All contained in single second, the girl stopped what she was doing, perhaps sensing his presence and turned to him, smiling warmly. As soon as her crystal blue eyes locked onto his, familiarity surged through him. He knew her. Just as quickly as it had sparked to life, the scene flickered and died, leaving him floating in the inky blackness once again, alone with the excited whispers of whatever else lurked inside.

Kid could no longer say he couldn't convey emotions. He certainly could, and at the moment he was on the verge of panic. The things in the dark, whatever they were, were not kind. Even though he couldn't understand their words, he knew they weren't well intentioned, and he wished to escape them. To be back in the company of the familiar, yet unfamiliar, girl and her singing with a forever shifting scene surrounding them. Unfortunately, whatever force had allowed him to step into the mirage earlier had deserted him, and moving proved to be as ridiculous a notion as speaking at the moment.

When he finally did feel something, it was pain, racing up his back as phantom claws cut into his flesh. Kid cried out to express his discomfort, or at least he tried to. He wasn't sure that anyone had heard him or if he'd even made a sound since all noise seemed to have fled as soon as feeling returned to him. Suddenly he found himself wishing for the absence of all sensation like before, so he didn't have to feel the knives that he was sure were digging into his back.

His hearing returned next, fading in and out as if figuring out how to function properly. Broken voices, not the eerie whispers, reached his ears again. Maybe it was only one voice, maybe a million. All he knew was that it, or they, were much too loud for his liking.

The pain intensified and he flinched, surprised to feel his body respond to him after he was so used to it disobeying him for however long he had been trapped in the clutches of the shadow-like sleep. Next he became aware of another person's touch. Someone was holding him. Who? He wasn't sure. Now the person's presence receded a little as they set him down on something hard, presumably the ground.

A word met his ears. Kid. What did that mean? Kid as in child? No. It wasn't a word. It was a form of address. Kid as in him, but why would someone be calling him Kid? His name was Link. Wait, Link. That's who was talking. Kid was just a nickname. His nickname.

Remembering things was odd. They were obvious things that he'd always known but the black had stripped them away to confuse him.  _"My name's Link. I'm fourteen. I have a little sister and a grandmother, I'm the Hero of Winds…"_ Kid thought to himself, reviewing everything he could recall as his memory returned and listed each as they came one after the other, a steady stream of information. His likes, his dislikes, past events, the names of his friends, the names of his enemies, the names of places he'd visited; they were all there along with much more.

Once he had finished remembering enough to keep himself somewhat updated on the situation, Kid listened attentively as his ears began to cooperate and properly catch the sound waves traveling through the air. "...ake up, Kid. Open your eyes." Link's tone was almost pleading, and Kid didn't want to worry him any more than he probably already had.

Complying with his companion's request took Kid longer than he wanted it to, but when he did manage to force his eyes open the scene before him was blurry which didn't help with the fact that he was already disoriented. Up and down seemed to be the same direction, or opposite directions, or even no direction at all. Kid blinked to clear away the fog that disrupted his vision. The renewal of his sight did little to brighten his mood. He'd much rather that his muscles didn't feel weighed down with lead and his head didn't feel like it was floating somewhere in the sky with the clouds.

"Thank the goddesses. Are you alright?" Link questioned him, relief evident in his tone. Kid could still identify the concern it held as well.

Kid took a few seconds to assess himself. Physically he felt weak, mentally he was confused. Where were they anyway and what had happened to Ghirahim? Tetra? The last thing he remembered was his Triforce of Courage being stolen from him, then blacking out.

"Yeah, I'm okay," Kid answered automatically, his mind only half attentive to the conversation. The other half was solely focused on figuring out what had happened before he awoke, but his mind refused to remember, and he thought that maybe it was for the best that he couldn't recall the events. After all, it couldn't be important if he didn't remember it.

"You were never much of a good liar," a girl's voice that sounded as if it was carried by the wind, chided, somehow managing to sound sweet and sympathetic at the same time as it did condescending. Kid turned his head to seek out the owner of this new voice and was left staring into the delicate face of Princess Zelda. His Princess Zelda with the pale blonde hair and fancy pink dress that brushed the floor. Kid had to agree with her statement. He was good at being honest. Lying, not so much. That was definitely Tetra's forte.

"What'd you want me to say?" Kid mumbled defensively. He wasn't really in the mood for an argument. Sleep was a more alluring notion at the moment, and it took all of his will power to resist the temptation especially since he'd noticed that he was laying down. His companions seemed to get the message that he wasn't feeling well, and how couldn't they? It  _was_  pretty obvious.

"This doesn't make any sense," Link muttered, mostly to himself, "Tetra's fine, you're not, so why? You're not injured that badly."

Kid gave a small shrug. "Ask the goddesses, I'm sure they know." He had momentarily forgotten his injuries until Link mentioned them. Now their presence made him wish for sleep even more. In the clutches of sleep, he wouldn't have to feel anything.

"Goddesses! That's it!" Tetra exclaimed, snapping Kid back to reality and out of his fatigued thoughts.

"What?" Link wondered, confused.

"That's why I'm completely okay. My soul is divine so whatever force from the Twilight Realm that's affecting him now was chased out of me almost as soon as we got here," she explained.

"So does that mean it'll go away on its own?" Kid ventured hopefully. He didn't want to feel like this much longer.

"Maybe," she admitted, "but more likely than not, you'll need some source of pure light to chase it out completely."

"So a light spirit then?" Link proposed.

"Or the Triforce of Courage," Tetra added to his suggestion, "Either way, we need to get out of here first."

Link helped Kid to his feet. He stumbled immediately and had to rely on the older teen for support as he got his bearings. Once he'd somewhat found them, Kid could stand on his own unaided, though Link kept a hand hovering near enough to grab him if he fell.

"Are you  _sure_  you don't want me to carry you?" Link inquired, noting Kid's unsure footing with skepticism.

Fighting to maintain his balance, Kid stubbornly refused the offer. "I can walk on my own." Link opened his mouth, presumably to argue about the subject, but Midna stepped in before he could.

"Look, if the kid says he can walk, then he can walk," Midna declared, "If he passes out or whatever then you can have the satisfaction of telling him, 'I told you so' later. Now get moving!" As grateful as he was for Midna's interjection, Kid wondered if his stubbornness was really wise. After a small amount of consideration, he concluded that it was. He wasn't a child and didn't need to be babied. He'd gone through entire temples and dungeons on his own with no one to aid him if he managed to get himself banged up, which had happened quite often. Back then, there was no one to cry to about how it hurt. He had sucked it up and moved on. Just because he had friends at his side now didn't mean that he had the right to wimp out. Kid chose to push away the reminder that, in those previous instances, he had normally had potions available for use and slept off the problem until he felt well enough to continue.

Fortunately, his legs chose to support him, but they wouldn't allow him to go very fast. Walking was enough of an effort, but he didn't want Link to carry him. He'd been enough of a burden to his counterpart already, who was injured as well and didn't seem to terribly mind the slow pace. However, Tetra, now an out of place princess, strolled ahead of them with a minuscule air of impatience, hands clasped behind her back in an effort to appear as if she knew where she was going.

As they walked, Link answered all of Kid's questions that he couldn't answer himself. Soon, he discovered that they were beneath Hyrule Castle Town. They seemed to be the only presences in the underground waterway which Kid viewed to be fortunate. His experience with places underneath the earth were not pleasant ones, and he quickly shook away the memories. Now was not the time to be thinking of redeads or any other corpse-like monstrosity. For now he had to focus on putting one foot in front of the other and act like each step didn't send a fresh jolt of pain coursing through him.

The rhythmic footsteps up ahead came to an abrupt halt, and Kid's wary gaze focused on his friend who had frozen in her tracks, staring at something around the corner that he couldn't see.

"What is it?" Link asked her, his hand grasped the hilt of the Master Sword as he suddenly became cautious of their surroundings.

"It's a…butterfly," Tetra said without taking her eyes off of the point of interest.

"Why would a butterfly be down here?" Kid wondered as he and Link caught up with Tetra who gave a small shrug of her shoulders in response. Kid could see the insect now. Borne on elegant wings of blue, it flitted in the air not two feet away from where they stood.

"What type of butterfly is that? I've never seen one with wings like that before," Link commented, letting his hand fall to his side.

"Me neither," Tetra agreed, reaching out a tentative hand towards it as if to invite the specimen over. To their amazement, the butterfly accepted the gesture and landed on the back of her outstretched hand, slowly folding and unfolding its wings which were light blue and bordered with a darker shade, decorated with swirling patterns and raindrops of white.

After a few seconds the butterfly decided that they'd admired it long enough and took to the air, letting its unique wings carry it farther down the path they had yet to tread. It stopped after a few feet, flying in circles, almost as if waiting for them.

"Do you think we should follow it?" Tetra inquired, looking to him and Link for their input.

"I don't know about that…" Link trailed off eyeing the insect with distrust as if expecting it to grow into some otherworldly beast, "It's kind of strange to see a butterfly down here."

Suddenly Fi appeared in her usual discrete manner and announced, "Master that is a Goddess Butterfly."

"What makes it different from a regular butterfly?" Kid asked, more so out of aspiring to keep himself awake than out of curiosity.

"Goddess Butterflies congregate in places designed to aid the chosen hero. I calculate a ninety percent chance that following this Goddess Butterfly will yield fortunate results," Fi reported.

"Okay, we could use some fortune right about now. Let's follow it." Link decided, stepping forward as Fi retreated into the Master Sword. Kid trailed behind him with Tetra at his side. As Princess Zelda she almost always looked forlorn. He shot her a wan smile and she returned it, hooking her arm with his as if escorting him, though he knew it was really just to help him keep his balance which seemed to be failing him every now and then.

The three of them trailed after the special insect, allowing it to lead them through the maze-like underground passages. Kid thought that it was a bit foolish. What could a butterfly really do anyway? Weren't they just getting themselves more lost the longer they followed it?

After turning at the next corner, he spotted two more butterflies, identical to the first in every way, lingering near the middle of the long wall to his left. Their escort joined its companions, apparently finished its mission. This appeared to be their destination, but Kid couldn't figure out what made this particular area any different from the others they'd been through. It didn't feel exactly magical. The rough grey walls and worn cobblestones were the same as they had been everywhere else.

"So….now what?" Link wondered, glancing around as if he expected something to happen. Everything remained still, exactly as it was before.

"Maybe we hit that ten percent that this little trip doesn't benefit at all," Kid suggested, slipping his arm out of Tetra's and sliding down the wall into a sitting position since all of the physical activity wasn't exactly helping his condition. If anything, it was making it worse and he suddenly regretted, just a little, refusing to allow Link to carry him through the sewer's tunnels.

Tetra sighed on his right, touching her back to the wall and letting it support her as she stood there. Suddenly a purple line created a rectangle surrounding the place she had touched, and she jumped away quickly as if it had shocked her, which it probably had. Kid had felt a tingle run along his back, irritating his wounds, when the shape appeared, and the indigo bordered rectangle hadn't even touch him. He inched away from the wall and stood up to regard the strange phenomenon.

"What did you do?" Link questioned her immediately.

"I-I have no idea," she confided in a small voice, backing farther away from the wall, regarding it as one would a hungry monster they were staring straight into the mouth of.

"Ask Fi what it is. She'll probably know," Kid pointed out. Link was about to do just that when the sword spirit appeared next to him, apparently already prepared with an answer.

"This is a Goddess Wall," Fi explained, "It was placed here by the goddess Hylia to aid her chosen hero. Using a skyward strike, it is possible to draw shapes on the wall that will yield helpful items."

"What kind of items?" Link wondered, his suspicion transforming into curiosity.

"Bombs, arrows, rupees, and fairies are the only objects that I have recorded observing a goddess wall produce," Fi reported.

"Fairies? How do we get fairies?" Link interrogated her, clearly excited. Kid was too. Fairies were extremely hard to come by and for that reason they were a reliable, if elusive, healing source. The little sprites were adept enough to heal fatal wounds if administered swiftly enough. A fairy would be able to heal him completely if they got a hold of one. Kid knew that Link had the same idea in mind and eagerly turned to Fi for her answer.

"To be rewarded with fairies, you must draw a Triforce in one stroke on the wall," Fi responded, "Be careful Master, if you do so incorrectly, the wall will disappear and you will not obtain what you wish." With that, Fi vanished into the sword in a flash of pale purple, her advice on the topic apparently exhausted.

"One stroke? How would I do that?" Link muttered to himself staring at the intricate square of indigo with the goddess crest in the center as he contemplated the answer.

"I did something like that before," Kid chimed in.  _'Finally, the temple of the Ocean King was actually good for something,'_ he thought to himself.

"You should do it then. If I mess up we won't be getting anything according to Fi," Link said, unsheathing the Master Sword and holding it out to Kid. He took the sword by the hilt, and Link stepped aside to give him room as he pointed the blade to the ceiling, gathering energy for a skyward strike. Once the shining metal was bathed in purple light, Kid lowered the sword. He had a feeling he wasn't supposed to release the beam of energy at the wall. Instead, it was to be focused into a drawing tool.

He hesitantly pressed the tip of the sword to the middle of the rectangle and began to draw. He was surprised to find that lavender light spilled out of the tip like ink and he struggled to keep his hand steady. It was actually quite difficult to draw decently with a sword held out in front of you, and in the end his lines weren't exactly straight. It probably didn't help matters that he was a bit shaky to begin with, courtesy of whatever force of twilight had latched onto him and refused to let go. However, the crude picture was still recognizable as a Triforce.

His drawing burst into fragments of light and immediately he was given the impression of failure. However, the show wasn't quite finished. Just as his drawing disappeared, and with it the rectangle, an outline of the sacred crest in the middle flashed once, spitting out three fairies, before fading into the grey stone as if it had never been.

Elated and in awe at the same time, Kid lowered the sword and stared at the pink fairies. One of them made its way over and spiraled around him, shedding brilliant sparkles in its wake which clouded his vision for a moment. Kid hardly cared about that though. He could already feel the fairy's healing magic sealing up his wounds and soothing the tension out of his sore muscles. He momentarily closed his eyes and let out a content sigh as his strength returned to him. No longer did he feel weighed down by anything. Whatever had clung to him dispersed at the fairy's gentle touch. His fatigue had also retreated to the back of his mind.

He opened his eyes just in time to see the fairy disappear. Kid always felt a little guilty using fairies. The helpful creatures were compelled to heal anyone in need of it and by doing so they gave up their own life forces. All healing fairies were created for this specific purpose and none of them viewed giving up their life as a sad event. It was always an honorable one as it was literally the only thing that gave their fragile lives meaning.

"Link, catch the last one in your bottle before it flies away," Tetra advised, pointing to the remaining pink sprite.

"You don't need it?" Link queried, taking out a bottle.

"No," she replied, shaking her head a little. Link trapped the fairy before it could fly off farther down the tunnel and corked the bottle, so it couldn't escape. Kid also despised doing such a thing. The fairies always looked so sad to be in there. Of course he couldn't blame them. He wouldn't be too happy to be trapped in a bottle either. Still, fairies were rarely found outside of fairy fountains and it would be a crime to waste them in any way.

Shortly afterwards the three of them were moving through the underground waterway at a much swifter pace. Link took the lead since, out of all of them, he had a better idea of where the exit was located. Midna returned his weapons to him, and Kid was relieved to have their familiar weight on his back.

After a few more minutes of wandering around the sewers they came to what appeared to be a spiraling staircase. It was long past its glory days and was now in a tragic state of disrepair. The stairs were broken and crumbling in many sections which made Kid wonder how they were supposed to climb it to the upper level since most of the gaps weren't within jumping distance of each other.

"How do we get up?" Tetra inquired, stopping at the first gap in the staircase.

"Midna, we need your help," Link announced to his shadow. The Twilight Princess appeared with the shadow crystal in her hand.

"I was wondering when you were going to say that." She grinned cheekily before touching the crystal to Link's forehead. Black Twili particles instantly consumed his form. They dispersed to reveal a grey wolf, and Kid had to say that he was less taken aback by the transformation. He'd witnessed it quite a few times already, so he couldn't bring himself to be even mildly surprised anymore.

Kid volunteered to go first upon sensing his friend's reluctance to do so. Once he was situated on Wolf Link's back, the sacred beast leaped across the first gap at Midna's encouragement. When they landed, Kid realized just how decrepit the stairs were. However, he failed to realize how structurally unsound they were as well. Maybe that was why Wolf Link thought it was safe to take a step forward. Instantly, the floor that should have been sure footing crumbled without warning. Wolf Link somehow managed to catch the edge of the broken stairs, and attempted to pull himself up. The sudden change in positions caught Kid off guard and his grip momentarily loosened. This was more than enough to ensure that he wouldn't be able to retain his place on the wolf's back and he promptly fell off with a loud shout. Thankfully, there was water to break his fall, unfortunately it was freezing cold. Kid quickly swam over to land and he heard his animal companion drop down into the murky water with a splash behind him. Wolf Link hastily joined him on dry land, shaking out his now dripping wet fur.

Tetra hurried down to see if they were alright. Midna seemed less concerned for their well-being and more amused.

"Eee hee hee! Maybe I should have accounted for the extra weight, huh?" Midna considered, shooting them a mischievous grin. Kid said nothing and simply remounted the wet wolf. He wasn't much better. He was soaked from head to toe, but at least he was used to it. Living with pirates was, at times, very interesting, and other times very dangerous. Their idea of fun, was quite outlandish sometimes. Kid couldn't count how many times he'd been thrown or fallen into the ocean because of some dare or game of theirs that he'd somehow found his unfortunate way into.

On their second attempt, they managed to land on more stable ground. The three of them went ahead, promising to return for Tetra once they reached the top. Said girl looked to be apprehensive about this decision but didn't utter a protest.

On a few occasions on the ascent, Kid had to use his sword to dispatch some pesky keese lurking in the darker corners of the room. As they climbed higher it seemed to only get more perilous and every step taken was a risk. It was a feat in itself that any of the stairs could be relied on to not dump them into the empty space below. Hearts pounding, they finally came to the peak of the staircase, and Kid noted the door to their right which was most likely their ticket out. He slid off of Wolf Link's back, and Midna took his place. His two companions left, only to return with the pirate turned princess a few minutes later.

When everyone was at the top of the staircase, Link was returned to his original form, and they stepped out of the door. What awaited them outside was a bit alarming. They were high up on top of Hyrule Castle's battlements. The stone beneath their feet was cracked and chipped, but it seemed to be in better condition than the staircase had been. Since the battlements were here, Kid didn't see any reason why the previous staircase hadn't be repaired. Perhaps no one cared enough to take on the project. Up above the sky was laced with clouds, recently emptied of rain which was why the ground shone with a wet glimmer. Weak slivers of sunlight managed to slip between the spaces in the clouds and put tiny spotlights on various sections of the rain-coated ground.

"There's a tower somewhere over there," Link informed them, gesturing in the general direction of their destination, "If we can get there we'll be inside of the castle and all we'll have to do is get out of the castle and to whatever part of Hyrule field Zelda said she'd be in."

"West," Tetra supplied helpfully.

"Right, west then," Link nodded, motioning for them to follow him across the battlements. Heights normally didn't deter Kid, but up here everything seemed so precarious, as if the stones beneath his feet could give out at any second and send him plummeting to the land below. For this reason he endeavored to stay closer to the center even though there were low lying walls that somewhat resembled railings on most of the sides so they should have saved him from any unexpected drop.

The wind was also noticeably stronger up here which didn't agree with his damp clothes. Puddles dotted the grey stone, and water dripped from drying flags, occasionally spraying droplets of the liquid onto their group when the wind teased the pieces of cloth. Despite these inconveniences, traversing through the rooftops wasn't too bad until they got to the actual roof that is. It was barely wide enough to tread safely on the peak, not to mention that the tiles were slick due to the recent rainfall that must have occurred sometime when they had been in the Twilight Realm.

Carefully crossing the first section, Kid could now see the open window that would allow them access to the tower Link had mentioned earlier. He became extra cautious. If he fell now…he wouldn't like to imagine what would happen if he fell. For now he concentrated on where he was placing his feet.

A high-pitched scream bred from pure terror rang out from behind him, raising above the whispers of the chilling wind. He whirled around, an action that one would not recommend when balancing on top of a roof, just in time to see Tetra slip, and begin to fall down the side. Off balance now as well but intending to help, he caught her hand before she could fall completely. Unfortunately, this caused his balance to fail him altogether, and Kid soon found himself slipping down the slick tiles along with the princess whom he just barely managed to keep a hold of.

Grappling for a hand hold, he scraped up his free hand on the rough tiles but just when it seemed like the two of them would slide off the roof completely, his left hand found what it had been looking for, and they came to a jarring stop. His heart was pounding in his ears in time with his aching hand. Tetra was just below him, holding his other hand in both of hers as she struggled to find something solid to stand on. She didn't seem to be succeeding.

"Are you two okay?!" Link called down to them. Glancing up, Kid found that they were quite a ways from the top.

"Just peachy!" Kid shouted back, unable to stop himself from sounding a bit sarcastic. His fatigue was slowly returning which wasn't helping him keep a clear head.

He readjusted his grip on Tetra's hand, the silky fabric of her glove making it more difficult to prevent his hold from slipping.

"Don't let go!" she cried, misinterpreting the re-positioning of his hand.

"I'm not," Kid assured her, as he tried to pull her up beside him. He managed to get her farther away from the very edge to a point where they could both, more or less, stand on the tiles without slipping.

"I'm not sure if I can come down there without knocking us all off. The roof is pretty slick," Link reported.

"It's fine," Kid responded, "I think I can get us back up."

Link didn't even have to say be careful. He well knew the penalty for making a wrong move. Kid surveyed the blue tiles in front of him, shiny with droplets of rainwater. A few of them were slightly out of place. Once he was positive that his boots had a good grip on the shingles and wouldn't budge if he moved around a little, he dare to take his hand off of the single tile that had been his savior and move it to one a little higher up. He found a new foothold next and helped Tetra climb higher.

"Sorry, I slipped," Tetra apologized, her eyes pleading for forgiveness, "I'm not used to wearing high heels  _or_  wearing long dresses."

Well, it was no wonder she fell. The whole princess get-up wasn't very efficient for traveling across rooftops, or anywhere outside of a castle for that matter.

"It's not your fault," Kid said, giving her a small smile of reassurance before trying to find another handhold. In retrospect, it probably didn't take as long as Kid imagined. He did earn a few more scrapes and bruises on the way up, but compared to the cuts that Ghirahim's flying daggers had made earlier, they were but tiny pinpricks of pain. Other than being shaken, as would be expected of a person who almost fell off of a roof, Tetra seemed to be unharmed.

When they were within reaching distance, Link helped them both climb up the rest of the way to relative safety. Even when they were on top of the roof, the young princess would not release Kid's hand, probably fearful that she'd slip again. Kid didn't mind her clinging so much as her altered personality. It was overtly changed. Of course, he expected it more so this time than the first time she'd transformed. As Princess Zelda she naturally acted much nicer, but the role of damsel in distress also held firmly, and Kid thought that he could do without it. Yet, he had to remind himself that as Princess Zelda, all of the emotions that Tetra normally withheld were of free reign. Her feelings weren't trapped somewhere deep inside like they usually were, they were fairly close to the surface, so she exhibited doubts and fears that would otherwise be concealed with a burst of anger, an indignant shrug, or a cheeky remark.

He was relieved when they made it to the window since the ever present danger of falling to their deaths was immediately extinguished as the little alcove was much more closed in and comforting. The window was higher than Kid would have liked it to be, but Link aided them both in reaching it. Dropping down the short distance into the tower, he was greeted with a winding staircase, a much smaller and more stable version than the one they'd ascended before.

"Which way?" Kid wondered when Link dropped down from the window's ledge.

"Down," his counterpart responded. They all hastily descended the steps. Now that their near death experience was over, their initial mission stood out clearly in their minds. Princess Zelda needed saving from possibly the worst villain since Ganon.

Leaving the castle turned out to be the simplest task of the day. No one stood in their way, and if anyone suspected anything the three of them were there and gone so fast that no one had a chance to pose an inquiry to anyone but themselves. At any other time running through the halls of Hyrule Castle would have gotten them in trouble. However, the few strict servants and guards that were left inside the castle were too taken aback by the unfamiliar princess in pink to reprimand them.

Even the sentries outside the castle didn't challenge them when they ran past as if the demon's hordes were on their heels. Castle Town itself was deserted, just as they'd left it earlier in the day. That was for the best judging by the battle that would likely take place in a few short minutes.

Nervous was an understatement. Kid was terrified that they were already too late. How much time had they wasted underground, recovering and trying to escape? A half hour? An hour? Longer? All time that Ghirahim had no doubt been using to achieve his goal which was still an enigma. The most that they'd been able to figure out based on what he'd taken so far was that he wanted to put together the entire Triforce to make a wish. This prospect wasn't too far-fetched that Kid didn't believe it, but he didn't understand how Ghirahim planned to obtain the Triforce of Power. Not to mention that his plan included a divine soul. That fact both unnerved him and confused him. Taking away someone's soul was like wiping out their entire existence. He didn't even want to entertain the notion of what a person could do with another's soul.

The threesome made their way down the west side street, which was just as abandoned as the rest of the town. Once they stepped out of the western gate, Kid was startled to find so many monsters lying in wait. He quickly drew his sword and shield. Suddenly he realized that Tetra didn't have anything to defend herself with and took out his bow and quiver of arrows, handing them to her. She accepted the weapons with a bit of hesitance.

As he scanned the area before him, he didn't see any Hylian soldiers and hoped that they hadn't been tangled up in the fray. Perhaps they had fled or been concentrated at the other two gates, whatever the case, they weren't here.

Ghirahim, on the other hand, certainly was. Farther into the field, Kid could distinctly see the white clad figure, though it was difficult to make out anything else from their viewpoint since a horde of monsters, not quite as impressive as the army in the sacred grove, blocked their line of sight. The monsters ranged from featureless Chus, to mindless Bulblins, to cocky Lizalfos. None of the creatures were unfamiliar, but there was an abundance of them impeding their path to the demon lord. They would have to be dealt with first and foremost

Kid tensed into a battle stance along with Link as soon as the first monster caught sight of them, and without any further delay or displays of grandeur, the final battle began.


	38. The Final Battle

Hesitance. It seemed to be present in everything she did as of late. While the boys charged forward, fully intent on battling their way to Ghirahim, she lingered where they'd deserted her. Her attire was far from battle ready, and she almost began to understand why princesses were always depicted as weak maidens. Doing anything productive in a flowing dress constructed of expensive materials was nearly impossible. Tetra wasn't terribly concerned with ruining the dress, so much as tripping over it and endangering herself.

She recalled that she had aided the Hero of Winds in vanquishing the evil Ganondorf once before in the same outfit she wore now. Back then she bore the mark of the three sacred triangles, signifying that she held one of its pieces. She had sworn to protect the Triforce of Wisdom before she even knew what it was and what it could do. Now, it had been stolen from her, and her greatest efforts, though maybe they weren't as great as she thought, were not enough to prevent Ghirahim from taking it. However, even with the sacred relic, she knew that she wasn't much use. Firing arrows of light was just about her limit in dealings with magic. She couldn't pull off any of the spells that her counterpart could. Shields of blue wouldn't rise to protect her, wind wouldn't whisk her out of harm's way, and fire certainly didn't ignite from her palms to burn her enemies.

Letting her gaze drift towards the swarm of monsters, Tetra felt the urge to do  _something_. Here she was, letting the boys handle it as always, yet that didn't feel right. They were constantly protecting her. She wanted to protect them, but she didn't know how. The monsters didn't appear to be very tough. Most of them died with a couple hits, whether it was from the blessed blade that Link wielded or the sharp sword that Kid brandished. Nevertheless, the sheer number of creatures automatically made them a powerful mass to deal with and, as she watched, her companions seemed to pick up on this fact as well.

Midna materialized out of Link's shadow, and she saw them both share a glance. It lasted for just a second, but in that second a plan had been communicated and agreed upon. Well, that might be a bit of an exaggeration. She was sure that they shared a few words but she wasn't close enough to catch the conversation.

Link took a few agile steps back, distancing himself from the monsters, before throwing the Master Sword over the heads of the dumb creatures. Tetra blinked in bewilderment. Just what was he up to?

In one swift movement, executed so perfectly that Tetra couldn't even comprehend how it had been done, Midna disappeared into Link's shadow and a wolf stood in Link's place. Immediately he dashed forward, knocking startled monsters out of the way since they were too taken aback to defend themselves. Wolf Link leapt into the air and caught the hilt of the Master Sword in his mouth.

Kid, who had been frozen in a state of shock and confusion, or maybe it was just awe, suddenly came to life, sheathing his sword and running towards the wolf who had slowed his pace just enough so Kid had a chance to catch up to him. Apparently, she was the only one still lost on the plan since Kid seemed to know what he was doing as he managed to mount the wolf while the animal while still moving. Wolf Link turned his head, letting the sacred sword slip out of his mouth. Kid caught it by the hilt, flipping the sword around, so he was holding it properly. She was thoroughly astonished that they had completed this maneuver so flawlessly in the span of less than a minute.

Already the duo were cutting through the horde of evil creatures, paving a path in an attempt to reach Ghirahim. It was an insane way to get the job done, but it appeared to be working.

Unfortunately, her presence had not gone undetected by the monsters so she couldn't watch her companions fight for long from the sidelines. Her attention was begged for by the monsters closing in, and she was more than happy to give it since she preferred to stay alive. Tightening her grip on the bow Kid had given her to defend herself, her ocean blue eyes scanned the approaching monsters. The closest one was a Lizalfos, approaching to her left. Tetra slid an arrow out of the quiver slung over her shoulder and aimed the projectile at the creature's head. Upon releasing the arrow, she felt confident that it would hit its intended target. That confidence was shattered as soon as the Lizalfos raised its armored arm in defense. The arrow bounced off of the metal, the wooden shaft splintering from the impact before sprinkling the ground with its remains.

' _No!'_  Tetra practically whined in her head,  _'Why can't you be stupid?'_

She tried hitting a different part of the Lizalfos with the same results. Choosing to ignore the monster for now, she turned to those less likely to defend themselves and disposed of four Bulblins and three Chus with a few well aimed arrows. Tetra knew that the Lizalfos was drawing closer and took a few steps away from the protection of the town to give herself some range. She fingered the arrows in the quiver and selected two. Thoughtfully, holding one between her teeth, she notched the first and let it fly towards the Lizalfos. As expected, the monster shielded its stomach. She quickly took the second arrow out of her mouth and pulled back the bowstring. Without much aiming on her part, she loosed the arrow and it embedded itself in the Lizalfos' temple.

She didn't waste any time watching the monster disappear. Instead, she spun on her heel to face the other monsters that were coming towards her. Two more Lizalfos were in the mix along with six Bulblin. Tetra took an involuntary step back. She was vastly outnumbered. Behind those on the front lines, there were other monsters, impatiently pushing those in the front forward to get their turn. She launched a few more arrows into the crowd of monsters. Those that vanished did little to lessen the threat that the congregation posed.

Bailing out and seeking the safety of Hyrule Castle Town was a fools dream now. Tetra soon found herself surrounded on all sides without an inkling to indicate how it had happened. Her long range weapon wouldn't protect her for much longer. A Chu jumped at her, attempting to latch onto her in order to feast. She stumbled back, just barely avoiding the red blob and bumping into a different monster in the process. The Bulblin screeched, irritating her sensitive ears. Before she had a chance to process what was happening, Wolf Link and Kid appeared among the throng of blood lusting monsters.

Kid hastily scrambled off of the greyish green wolf's back and grabbed her by the wrist, wrenching her away from the monster. "Go with Link," Kid ordered her before turning to face the monsters that surrounded them.

"But what about you?" Tetra wasn't fearful of voicing her concern for him. She was met with the usual answer. The automatic answer. The fake answer. 'I'll be fine.' At any other time, she would have argued, but Link nudged her hand, probably telling her to hurry up. She was barely on his back when he bolted from the area. She ducked low so the weapons of the monsters they passed, and barreled over, didn't touch her.

The animal beneath her was panting from exertion, but she knew that he wouldn't take a break even if she suggested it to him. None of them could afford a break unless they planned on dying.

Once she felt balanced enough, perched on Wolf Link's back, Tetra began to pick off monsters. This tactic was a lot more efficient than her previous one. They weren't moving terribly fast, but they were moving which made them a difficult target for swords and the like. Most of the creatures didn't even know what had hit them before they disappeared in purple smoke as a result of a well-placed projectile.

Wolf Link was helping in more ways than one. Other than keeping them mobile, he also occasionally ended a nearby monster with a ferocious bite. Tetra wondered whether attacking monsters in such a fashion unnerved him. Maybe he didn't realize what he was doing all the time, but eventually he had to realize that he'd just bit into the flesh of a living creature. That was just plain gross. If Link was disgusted by the fact, he certainly didn't show it.

After a few more minutes her confidence was boosted back to relatively normal levels. She had caused at least fifteen monsters to meet their demise in that time. The two of them were getting closer to Ghirahim as well. In fact, she could clearly see the demon lord. His movements both startled and confused her for he appeared to be, of all things, dancing. The evil sword spirit seemed to be unaware of their presence, either that, or he was confident that his army of monsters would protect him.

An abrupt pain erupted from her right arm, stealing her focus and causing her to tumble off of Wolf Link. She laid on the ground in a daze, wondering what had hit her and why she was stupid enough to allow distractions to get through. If she'd been keeping her eyes on the monsters and not their goal then maybe this wouldn't have happened. Her animal companion immediately stopped and came back to her, just like a loyal pet. He whined to voice his concern since he couldn't actually speak.

She pushed herself up into a sitting position and stole a glance at her arm which throbbed with an unknown pain. There was no evidence of a wound, though she suspected bruising beneath the cool, silky fabric of her glove. She'd gladly take bruising over a laceration any day and got to her feet, patting Wolf Link's head to communicate that she was okay.

They were soon on their way again, seeking to kill as many monsters as possible. Tetra ignored the ever present flicker of pain every time she moved her right arm. Her earlier spill had, unbeknownst to her, drained her supply of arrows. She had twenty left at most, a little less than half of the original amount.

"Hey, Link," she said, leaning forward to make sure he heard her over the growls and nonsensical cries of the monsters and clashing of weapons, "Let's check on Kid. I think he might need some help." The wolf doubled back the way they had come in response, heading towards the place they had left Kid to fend for himself. She didn't know what caused the suggestion to pass her lips. Perhaps it was guilt for leaving him behind earlier or maybe he really was in trouble and her goddess side was trying to tell her that.

Upon arriving, the pair found that Kid indeed needed help and that help had already come. At some point, the Twilight Princess had slipped out of Link's shadow and flew over to Kid in order to aid him in battling the monsters. The two of them were now fighting back-to-back, but it appeared that they were losing judging by the agitated looks on their faces and the multiple enemies surrounding them. From her view, neither of them seemed to be injured, and Tetra chose to believe that it was true.

Instead of charging into the fray like Tetra expected him to, Wolf Link gave the swarm a wide berth as he trotted around it in a circle. After a few more seconds had passed Tetra raised her weapon, catching on to her companion's plan. She pierced the monsters on the outer edges with arrows as her mount circumnavigated the group, slowly drawing closer on each lap.

"About time you show up!" Midna admonished when she finally took notice of them. Tetra witnessed her launch a large ball of shadow magic at the monsters in front of her. The majority stumbled back, stunned. Only two disappeared. "We could've used the help ages ago."

Tetra had nothing but a mumbled apology to give and returned her attention to the disoriented monsters, dealing with them all in quick succession. Wolf Link and Tetra continued to circle the group, chipping away on the outside while Midna and Kid battled from the inside. This strategy was quite effective, and Tetra estimated it to be about five minutes later that the last monster fell.

Sweeping her eyes over the field, Tetra spotted some leftover monsters, but it appeared the main mass had been defeated. A golden light caught her eye from across the expanse of green. The source appeared to be Princess Zelda. If it wasn't for Ghirahim still dancing around her like the sadistic freak he was proving to be, she would have thought it a good thing. Wolf Link appeared to have the same thought and rushed forward, determined to reach Ghirahim before he could complete his ritual.

She stole a glance back and glimpsed Kid running after them. Midna must have returned to the shadows. They were probably twenty feet away from Ghirahim when Wolf Link struck something solid and was thrown back. Tetra was dislodged from her seat from the unexpected jolt and landed on the ground with a cry of surprise. Kid slid to a stop and held out a hand to help her up. She gratefully accepted it and let her best friend haul her to her feet. Wolf Link was just shaking off the blow.

"What just happened?" Midna wondered, popping out of Kid's shadow, "I didn't even see anything hit you guys."

"Me neither. I don't know what it was," Tetra confided, sweeping her eyes over the area in front of them in an attempt to see what had prevented them from passing. Nothing obvious presented itself, and Tetra was left hopelessly confused.

Wolf Link let out a bark and they turned their attention to him.

"Got something to say?" Midna asked him. Then without questioning him further, not that he could have responded anyway, she transformed him back into a human. Link quickly stood up.

"There's a barrier surrounding him," Link reported.

"I don't see anything," Kid pointed out, his eyes drifting over to Ghirahim as if he thought he might have missed it.

"You wouldn't be able to. I could only see it as a wolf because animals have a sort of sixth sense, so they can see things we normally can't," Link explained.

"So if you could see it, then why'd you bang into it?" Midna challenged him, crossing her arms and smirking.

"I didn't see it at first," Link admitted sheepishly.

"So if there's a barrier, how do we knock it down?" Kid wanted to know.

"That's the thing. I don't think we can," Link replied.

"But we need to!" Tetra exclaimed in desperation. If they didn't get to Ghirahim soon, she was sure that he would steal Princess Zelda's soul, and she really didn't want to know what he planned on using it for.

"We will," Link assured her, "As far as I can tell, it's like one of those rooms in a temple or dungeon where you have to defeat all of the enemies in the area, so you'll be able to move on."

"You can tell all that just by looking at the thing?" Midna wondered, skeptical.

"No. It's a theory since when I banged into it, it flung me back which means it's something we shouldn't be touching, and if we can't touch it, then we can't break it which means it needs to be dispelled somehow," Link elaborated.

"Are you sure we can't just break it with the Master Sword because I shattered an invisible force field before with it," Kid interjected.

"You can try it if you want," Link shrugged, and Kid took a step closer to the barrier that none of them could see. Since he couldn't see where the barrier started, Kid took a few experimental swings. On his third attempt he struck something solid. Immediately the force Kid had put behind the attack was reflected back at him and he was thrown to the ground with a groan.

"Well, that didn't work," Midna observed. Kid sat up, shaking his head to clear it.

"So do we have to kill the rest of the monsters now?" Tetra asked, sure that she knew the answer. Link nodded in response to her question as Kid stood up and handed him the Master Sword.

"You'd think that guy would have at least looked up at us by now, huh?" Midna noted, nodding at Ghirahim. He wasn't even phased by their conversation or their futile attempts to break in.

"Maybe the barrier blocks out sound too?" Kid suggested.

"Possibly," Link agreed.

"Let's test it!" Midna decided and before any of them could advise her against it she yelled, "HEY PRETTY BOY! IF YOU'RE REALLY AS FABULOUS AS YOU CLAIM THEN TURN AROUND!

Tetra sucked in a breath, her eyes on Ghirahim's back. The demon lord didn't even flinch.

"Huh…guess he's not," Midna announced, lowering her voice to a less irritating decibel.

"Okay, no more of that. Let's go finish off the rest of the monsters," Link dismissed the Twilight Princess's antics was a wave of his hand.

"You're not going anywhere," a voice scoffed from behind them. Tetra whirled around so fast she almost fell. Zant stood dangerously close, and in her peripheral vision she witnessed Kid draw his sword from its sheath.

"Zant, who are you to stop us? Ghirahim is just using you like your last, 'god' did. The outcome isn't going to be any different from last time. When are you going to learn?" Midna questioned him. She almost sounded sincerely interested to hear his answer.

"Ghirahim is my ally, not my god," Zant corrected her, "He and I have an arrangement that we'll both benefit from in the end. It'll be vastly different from last time, I assure you. This world will be covered by shadow and our people will thrive while the light dwellers cower in any crevice they can find. I'll be the king of course but don't worry, I'll let you rule beside me, princess."

"In what world?" Midna spat, "I'm the leader of the Twili, and you're just a shadow that can't let go of the past! I'd never harm this world to expand my own! This is exactly why you're not a king, Zant, and you never will be."

"Those who don't bow to their superiors shall be punished!" Zant declared, clearly enraged by Midna's defiance. Deadly blades appeared from his long sleeves, and Tetra eyed the weapons warily. Red runes laced the shining black blades. She couldn't see the handles of the weapons for they were concealed beneath the billowing fabric of Zant's robes.

Without warning Zant lunged at Midna. Metal scraped metal as Kid blocked the attack with the flat of his sword. He was at an obvious disadvantage since Zant was bearing down on him with the edges of two swords, and Tetra could see his strength wavering. Midna had the sense to back away so Zant's attack couldn't reach her, and Kid dropped his sword and rolled out of the way in favor of keeping all of his limbs.

A ball of shadow magic was launched at Zant. Even though it exploded against his strange helmet, the attack didn't leave a scratch.

"Go! I'll deal with him," Midna ordered them, her hair glowing dangerously like flames.

"Are you sure?" Link asked. It was apparent that he didn't want to leave her by herself, and, to be honest, Tetra didn't approve of it either. Zant had overpowered Midna before.

"Just go already! I suggest getting that barrier down if you don't want to be throwing Zelda's funeral!" Midna snapped at him. That was more than enough incentive to get them all moving. Kid took a few steps back but his eyes lingered on one spot. Tetra followed his line of sight. His abandoned blade gleamed in the spotty sunlight, trapped in the space between the two dueling Twili.

"Come on!" she urged him, grabbing his wrist and pulling him away from Midna and Zant who were now launching various magic spells at one another. Kid resisted a bit at first but eventually he fell reluctantly into step beside her. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw Link just leaving their previous spot. He'd probably been arguing with Midna more, but she had made her decision and wouldn't be swayed.

Tetra let go of Kid's wrist as he sped up his pace. Up ahead, she could discern three monsters and immediately became worried. Kid wasn't armed anymore and, while he did have other weapons, she doubted they'd do much good against Lizalfos. Kid came to an abrupt halt as soon as the monsters noticed him. Perhaps he had just realized that he didn't have a plan.

Her hand unconsciously tightened on the bow she held as if reminding her that she had a weapon and could use it to help. Watching as the Lizalfos charged towards her friend, she automatically grabbed an arrow and readied it. She leveled the projectile at the Lizalfos that posed the most immediate threat. Kid held his shield up in anticipation of a blow that was sure to come, while he rummaged through his belongings with his free hand, delving for an item he couldn't seem to find.

She stepped to the left a bit, so she had a better shot at her target. Just as she prepared to shoot it, a distinct sound of metal striking metal met her ears. The closeness of the sound startled her into sacrificing both her concentration and her grip on the arrow. Tetra whirled around on her heel to discover the source, completely ignorant of the fact that her arrow had missed and landed in the ground somewhere instead.

Link's sword was about an inch from her head, the only barrier between her and a monster's sleek blade. How did she not feel the monster sneaking up on her? Lizalfos weren't exactly known for their expertise in stealth. She really had to start paying more attention. Link batted the creature's sword away and glanced at her to see if she was alright. She gave him a small nod and a grateful smile in return. It wasn't much, but it was all she could do, pitiful as it was.

Knowing that Link could handle the monster, she redirected her attention to Kid who looked like he could use some aid. She was more than obliged to provide it and reached for another arrow. Tetra was shocked to find that her supply had been dramatically depleted since she'd last checked. Only two arrows remained in the quiver. She bit the inside of her cheek as her fingers toyed with the feathered ends of one of the arrows. Using the last of her arrows would be troublesome when they reached Ghirahim. Only light arrows, it was assumed, and the Master Sword could harm him. If she exhausted her entire supply of arrows she wouldn't have any left to turn into arrows of light when she reclaimed her Triforce piece. Even if she didn't get the Triforce of Wisdom back right away, Kid could use light arrows too, and he needed regular arrows for that to work.

On the other hand, if she didn't use them, they might not even make it to Ghirahim alive.

"Some help would be nice!" Kid called over his shoulder, pulling her out of her ambivalent thoughts and back to the imposing situation.

Link surprised her by tossing Kid the Master Sword, after alerting him that he was going to do so, of course. Kid easily caught the goddess-blessed sword by the hilt and wasted no time in engaging the monsters before him in combat. Tetra's concerned gaze switched from her best friend to his counterpart in an instant. Now Link was defenseless, or so she thought.

Tetra watched, somewhat impressed, as Link recklessly tackled the Lizalfos. He wasn't heavy enough to bring the monster down, but he certainly succeeded in startling it into temporarily losing its balance. The Lizalfos attempted to compensate for its lowered guard and lashed out with its tail. Link jumped over it at the last possible second. As soon as he landed on his feet, Link bashed his shield into the lizard-like creature's hand, causing it to involuntarily drop its weapon.

Link grabbed the fallen blade in one swift swoop and made to attack the Lizalfos with it. Unfortunately he didn't see the monster's tail flick in agitation like Tetra had, and she was too slow to alert him of the danger. The powerful tail whipped into Link's legs, effectively knocking him to the ground, and Tetra winced, knowing that it must have hurt despite the jagged edge of the tail missing him.

Before the Lizalfos could put any effort into another attack, Link jumped to his feet and plunged the sword deep into the monster's chest. Normally it would be sickening to watch but monsters don't bleed the way humans do. Instead, the creature burst into filaments of wispy purple smoke with a single choked off screech serving as its dying breath. The weapon also dissolved in Link's hand and a disappointed expression appeared on his face.

"I was hoping I could keep that for a little while," Link muttered, staring at his empty hand as if he could will the monster's weapon back into it.

"Link, watch it!" Tetra warned him as she noticed another monster coming closer. Suddenly she wished that Link could have kept the weapon too.

All of the action had attracted the interest of the other remaining monsters, and as Tetra surveyed their group, not much comfort was provided upon realizing that she could count the number of enemies using only one hand. The majority of those defying them were Lizalfos which was unfortunate for them since they didn't have many sharp weapons at their disposal.

Tetra kept her eyes transfixed on the Lizalfos drawing closer to Link and decided to notch one of her arrows, keeping the string taut but refusing to release it. She still wasn't positive she wanted to shoot. It was likely that her attack would bounce off of the creature's armor. Even if it didn't, the monster would take at least two arrows to fell.

Thankfully she didn't need to decide, for Kid finished off the monsters opposing him a second later and returned the Master Sword to Link. With a sword in his hand, Tetra knew that he would be fine. She redirected her aim to a Bulblin eyeing Kid. This time she felt more comfortable releasing the projectile and was satisfied when it buried itself in the red flesh of the monster, turning it into nothing more than a puff of purple haze that quickly dissipated into the atmosphere.

Now reduced to a single arrow, Tetra endeavored to save it for later if it was at all possible. She glanced between the two boys to assess their progress. Link had reduced the Lizalfos to harmless smoke and was turning to add another to the list. Looking to Kid she saw him remove the Skull Hammer from his bag and prepare to launch it into the Lizalfos's side.

The hammer looked like it would connect with the creature's scale covered skin, but the monster quickly crushed this prediction by whipping its tail out and intercepting the blow. The force of the Lizalfos's parry combined with the recoil of swinging the hammer sent Kid stumbling back and he fell, unable to right himself. The Lizalfos saw this as an opportunity and poised its weapon to strike.

Without consulting herself first, Tetra rushed over to the pair. How she made it there in so little time with the ground a slippery mess and a floor length dress draped over her small frame, she'd never know. All she knew was one minute she was standing between the two boys and the next she was standing protectively in front of Kid. The Lizalfos didn't pause in its attack, and she soon found over a foot of sharpened metal heading her way. Instinctively she brought up her arms as a weak form of defense and squeezed her eyes shut as she braced herself for the weapon to hit. A hand found her shoulder a second before the blade struck her with enough force to knock her to the ground. Strangely enough, it didn't hurt in any sense of the word.

Tetra allowed her eyes to open but didn't get a chance to take in her surroundings before Kid, who was behind her, removed his hand from her shoulder and grabbed her wrist instead, pulling them both out of the way of another sword swipe from the Lizalfos.

"What…" Tetra trailed off looking to Kid for an explanation. He showed her a purplish-pink crystal cradled in his free hand and grinned. She knew vaguely what it was only because she'd heard him speak of it before. Never had she been truly interested in the notion of magic armor. Partly because it sounded ridiculous and partly because she thought it sounded like cheating, a cowardly way to defend yourself. After all, it wasn't a good, nor fair, fight, if your opponent couldn't hit you.

Now she felt differently. The wispy, barely visible barrier surrounding the two of them was a life-saving resource. "How did you know it would protect both of us?" Tetra asked him, recalling something he had told her once when she was pretending not to listen. He'd said that it protected him and never mentioned it protecting anyone else.

"I didn't really," Kid admitted, "I just kinda hoped it would, but let's try not to get hit anymore. I already lost double the amount of rupees I normally would."

"How does this armor work?" she wondered, as they dodged another attack aimed their way.

"Well, to equip it I need magic which I have at the moment but once that runs out so will our protection. Any time I get hit it drains me eighty rupees but because it's protecting us both it apparently drains twice that amount. My magic is probably depleting faster too," Kid explained, his eyes focused on the Lizalfos instead of her. She vaguely wondered why the armor caused him to lose rupees but figured it was some sort of fair exchange deal. It protected him as long as he had magic and because it has to sustain hits for him, it charges a fee of sorts. Tough bargain, but it was still useful.

"Maybe we shouldn't use it anymore then," Tetra suggested, giving their foe a wary glance. She didn't want to get hurt, but she didn't want to drain all of Kid's magic before they reached Ghirahim. She had a feeling that reclaiming their Triforce pieces won't be as simple as she hoped it will be and if that was the case then Kid needed enough magic to launch at least one light arrow at the demon.

"Link's not finished with the sword yet, so I can't have it, and none of my other weapons are going to work," Kid pointed out, "Besides, I don't think my shield can protect us both and this way we won't get hurt if we get hit."

"Let's sit it out then," she proclaimed. Normally she'd want every part of a fight but not when she knew she couldn't win.

"And leave Link by himself with three Lizalfos? No way!" Kid protested as they evaded another attack.

"Fine then, let's help him," Tetra conceded, nodding towards the Lizalfos that had lost interest in them and was now targeting Link's exposed back. The two of them tailed the Lizalfos, shouting a warning to their companion. Thankfully he got it in time and executed a spin attack just when the sneaky Lizalfos readied its weapon. Two of the three Lizalfos vanished, and it was at that time that the wavering magenta barrier surrounding Kid and Tetra disappeared as well.

"Aww, out already? I thought it would last at least another minute," Kid said, annoyed as he released his hold on her and shook the crystal like it was a pen that had suddenly refused to write, and he was trying to remind it of its job.

"What's that?" Link wondered, taking the time to register what the two of them were doing as soon as he finished off the last monster. He must have done it swiftly for Tetra hadn't even noticed.

"It's my magic armor," Kid replied as he stowed the now useless crystal away.

"If you have magic armor maybe you should put it on before we go over there," Link suggested, indicating Ghirahim with a wave of his hand.

"As much as I'd like to, I can't. I'm out of magic and without magic it won't work," Kid announced.

"Do you have any magic potions?" Tetra inquired even though she was almost positive of the answer she'd receive.

"No," Kid sighed, "and I still need my sword back. The only reason why I had to use the armor is because I didn't have anything to fight back with."

"Then let's go get it. I bet Midna could use some help with Zant anyway," Link said, motioning for the two of them to follow him. Tetra concentrated on the battling forms of Midna and Zant. The duel was moving at a fast pace that she couldn't follow. Her eyes were immediately captured by the flashing colors, almost like fireworks, that seemed to surround the pair.

A golden light caught the corner of her eye and her gaze wandered over to land on its source. However, she knew prior to looking that it was Princess Zelda. What she didn't expect was to see the princess actually floating off of the ground while Ghirahim held his hands over her body, not quite touching her. Fear boiled hot in her veins. This new display couldn't bode well at all.

Tetra slowed her pace and redirected her path. The boys would be fine without her. She would only get in the way if she followed them. Her conscience screamed at her not to break away from their little group. There was strength and safety in numbers. If she apprehended Ghirahim, she'd only get herself in trouble. However, wasn't Princess Zelda already in a lot of trouble? By the time they were finished with Zant, it may be too late to save her.

As she drew closer, Tetra noticed that Ghirahim was aware of the fighting. There were no barriers between them now. With Ghirahim's attention focused on the others, Tetra's presence wasn't noted. She wasn't really trying to get caught. In fact, she was aiming to avoid that. Tetra was simply interested in discovering a way to help her counterpart.

She wasn't sure if she could interrupt the process now, it seemed to be near completion if the intensity of the light emanating from the princess's still form was anything to go by. It was then that she realized just how much magic energy Ghirahim must have been using. Despite the fact that he was a demon, no one was all powerful, and Ghirahim was no exception. While his magic supply might be larger than would be considered normal, it could still be depleted the same as any one else's. Using magic in battle, combined with summoning monsters and creating such an intricate barrier on top of performing some ancient ceremony, must have consumed most of his magic by now. That meant he was weak. Maybe he could be hurt by a normal arrow. Perhaps it was possible to kill him with a shot to the back of his head.

Tetra chose to believe the idea for it was the only hope she had of stopping the ritual in its tracks. This time her movements were certain as she notched her last arrow and pulled back the bowstring. A brief pain flickered through her arm as she did so, reminding her of the small injury she'd sustained earlier. Doing her best to ignore it, for it was a trivial matter, she narrowed her eyes as she aimed at her target who seemed to be intrigued, or perhaps irritated, by the fight going on between Zant and her companions.

She experimentally tried to will light into the ordinary arrow but, just as she'd anticipated from the start, nothing happened. She would have to pray that a normal arrow would suffice. Tetra could feel the presence of the little magic energy she possessed, but found that she could not call on it to aid her. She was fine with that. The magic she possessed was old, no ancient, and she wanted no parts of it. It was the magic of a goddess, and she had no faith in her abilities to control it if she let it free.

Ghirahim was still distracted. It was now or never. Tetra felt her right arm wavering as it held the arrow in place, and she unconsciously held her breath as if deep down she believed it would help her keep her arm steady. She released the arrow and watched as it cut effortlessly through the air and towards its intended target. Witnessing the arrow bury itself in the back of the demon lord's skull should have brought her joy, but it didn't because she missed. In fact, she missed the mark by at least a foot and the arrow sailed harmlessly past Ghirahim's face. Unfortunately for her, he couldn't ignore that, and spun around to face her.

' _I can't believe it. I_ missed _?'_  Tetra thought incredulously, awfully upset with herself and terrified at the same time. Now she truly was defenseless. She desperately tried to remember why this idea had ever registered as a good one in her mind. That's probably because it was a good one, until it went awry, like most of her schemes tended to. She attempted to hide the bow behind her back but knew that it was futile. Ghirahim had seen it already, and even if he hadn't, there was no one else around. She was the only one that could have possibly fired that arrow at him, and he knew it.

She expected fury to be burning a scowl permanently into his facial features as he peered down at her in disgust, but that wasn't what she saw. All things considered, Ghirahim appeared to be startlingly calm and collected as he regarded her with the air of someone expecting the other to break the uncomfortable silence that had settled between them. At least, it was uncomfortable for her. Ghirahim seemed to be enjoying her insecurity.

"Let her go now," Tetra ordered him, standing as tall as she could and trying to regain the tone of authority she normally used when she wanted others to obey her.

Ghirahim's neutral expression transformed into an amused smirk. "Let her go? I must say I am disappointed. You manage to both elude death and have the audacity to come after me. All of that grandeur and the best you can come up with when you get here is 'let her go'? What makes you think that I'll comply with your request, hmm?"

"I was just seeing how being polite worked with you. Apparently it doesn't," Tetra replied, struggling to keep her terror from rising to the surface.

"You call glaring at me and telling me what to do polite?" Ghirahim feigned surprise. "Well then, where are my manners?" The demon lord threw his hand up towards the sky, and Tetra tensed, expecting to get launched into the air. To her astonishment, Princess Zelda was raised up even higher off the ground, still glowing with a golden light that was beginning to hurt her eyes.

 _Snap!_ Tetra tore her gaze away from her counterpart and back to the evil sword spirit. Five red bulblins now stood in front of Ghirahim, neatly lined up in a row with large blades held at the ready.

"Dispose of her," Ghirahim ordered the monsters with a dismissive wave of his hand and a triumphant smirk in her direction. The monsters let out guttural battle cries and charged. She reached for an arrow that wasn't there and crept closer to panic when her hand closed on empty air. Now she really wished she knew how to use magic.

Fleeing was her only option and she embraced it, faithfully letting her feet guide her away from the monsters and hoping that her faith was well placed. She didn't spare as much as a glance over her shoulder even when she was sure at least one of the Bulblins was almost upon her. Faith didn't carry her as far as she would have liked. Her next step jeopardized her entire mission to escape her pursuers as the material of the skirt of her dress happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Tetra tripped and was unable to stop herself from falling to the ground. Even though she knew she shouldn't, she looked back anyway. One of the red skinned monsters was already standing over her, preparing to dispose of her as its creator had ordered.

A lightening quick flash of yellow struck the unsuspecting Bulblin in the side of the head and it lowered its weapon as it attempted to regain what little wits it had. Meanwhile Tetra was yanked to her feet by the same hand that had disoriented the monster. Her perplexed eyes landed on Kid as he put himself between her and the creature that Ghirahim had summoned to kill her.

"When did you get here?" Tetra wondered. She hadn't even noticed him once and they were quite a distance from Zant over here. It was hard to believe she didn't see him before now. Then again, she'd been preoccupied with Ghirahim and the monsters, so it was possible he could have slipped over here without her noting it.

"Just in time it looks like," Kid replied as he attacked the closest Bulblin. The two of them were forced to back away from the monsters numerous times since the Bulblins were adept at using their weapons to deflect Kid's blows and they had much more endurance than the other monsters.

"Vertical slice to your left!" Tetra called out helpfully from her spot a couple feet behind Kid. She found that as an unarmed spectator she could still be useful in alerting her friend to enemy attacks and weak points that he wasn't fast enough to catch on to. She watched as Kid brought his sword down just as she'd suggested and caused the monster to burst into red and yellow diamond shards that quickly faded into the air.

There were now three of the red-skinned creatures opposing them, and Tetra analyzed each of their movements closely. Two of the monsters planted themselves firmly in front of Kid, legible distractions, while the last attempted to pen them in from behind. "Take care of the one on your far right," Tetra advised. The last thing they needed was to be surrounded.

Kid glanced briefly in the direction she'd mentioned before his attention was drawn back to the two monsters before him as they both raised their weapons and brought them down in an attack that was unusually synchronized for Bulblins. Kid hopped back out of range, his shield raised as an extra precaution. Tetra backed up farther to give him more space to fight and directed her wary gaze on the third Bulblin which had almost completed its trap.

"Kid, hurry, they're going to surround us," Tetra urged him.

"I'm going as fast as I can!" Kid shouted, ducking under one of the Bulblin's blades and aiming for the exposed flesh on its stomach.

"I've got this," Midna announced, suddenly bolting out of Kid's shadow and flying past a startled Tetra. She whirled around just in time to see the Twilight Princess vanquish the Bulblin with a well-aimed ball of concentrated Twili magic.

"Midna?!" Tetra exclaimed, "I thought you were fighting Zant!"

"I was. So was Kid. We came over to help you once we realized that you ran off by yourself," Midna informed her with a sly grin, "You really shouldn't do that you know."

Tetra shrugged off the light admonition and asked about more pressing matters, "But that means you left Link fighting Zant alone!"

"He'll be fine," Midna responded nonchalantly. She spoke as if Link had already won, but Tetra doubted that was true. Still, she had to admit that Link was more than capable with a sword and wielding the Master Sword improved his chances of victory tenfold. Midna's confidence in him certainly wasn't misplaced. "We have more concerning matters to address." Midna gestured to the sky.

Tetra could scarcely believe what she saw. The princess was completely enveloped in golden light now. She was like a mini sun, and Tetra guiltily directed her gaze to the ground. It should have been her up there, not her counterpart. In attempting to spare herself, she'd endangered the Princess of Hyrule. It was a weird concept to wrap her mind around.  _She_  was technically the Princess of Hyrule as well, but for her, there was no Hyrule. In fact, she wasn't even positive that there was a land large enough out there for her to rule. She had nothing to dictate, but her counterpart did. Yet, Tetra hadn't known the consequences of making herself a difficult fish to catch. Of course, that also begged the question, if she  _had_  known what her actions would provoke, would she still have gone through with them?

She chose to ignore the question because she didn't want to admit the answer. Returning her attention to the current situation, Tetra watched as Kid's sword sliced through the side of the last monster that Ghirahim had summoned and it vanished much like the others had.

"Hey, where'd Zant go?" Kid wondered, looking over to where Link and Zant should have been dueling. Tetra followed his line of sight. Link appeared to be dedicated to taking on Ghirahim since he was making his way towards the demon lord while the false King of Twilight was nowhere to be found.

"He probably realized he was too lame to prevail in a fight against Link and left," Midna scoffed with a smirk on her face. "Seriously though," Midna added at both her and Kid's uneasy expressions, "It doesn't really matter as long as he's leaving us alone."

There was little Tetra could say in disagreement. One super powerful villain was more than enough for the four of them to handle so Zant's backing out, whether it was from cowardice or something else, was a welcome change of plans.

"Here," Tetra said, holding the bow and empty quiver out for Kid to take, "Sorry I used all your arrows."

"It's fine. I should've known that we'd need more," Kid replied as he accepted the items and stowed them away.

"Link probably has more arrows. You can ask him if we get close enough," Midna interjected.

"Let's go then," Kid insisted, his anxiousness washing over Tetra and pressuring her to agree.

Midna slipped into Tetra's shadow, and she and Kid made their way towards Ghirahim, praying that they'd have some type of plan formulated for when they closed the distance between them. Of course, praying for a plan and actually coming up with one are two completely separate things. Tetra attempted to distinguish their remaining options among the sea of thoughts that were just wishful thinking.

It was a definite fact that Ghirahim had already expended an abundance of magic energy and, as far as she could tell, was still expending it in the ritual. Assuming that his magic supply was low meant that he was weaker than he was earlier. Perhaps if they attacked him all at once he wouldn't be able to keep up. But that was only  _if_  he was as weak as she assumed he was and even then it was an unstable plan.

' _Maybe we don't have to defeat Ghirahim,'_ Tetra thought as she ran beside Kid,  _'Maybe we just have to take away his concentration. That should interrupt the ritual and the spell will be canceled.'_

She opened her mouth to inform Kid of her idea but the words died in her throat. Her legs suddenly refused to function as her surroundings changed in an instant. Immediately she found herself staring up at the sky roiling with dark, ominous clouds tinged with red. The air itself had an eerie feel to it, and it chilled her skin with its breath. It was then that she realized she couldn't feel the ground, and the tops of the bushy trees providing her a window of the sky seemed a little too close to be normal.

Tetra attempted to change positions but found she couldn't. Some force was holding her there. The most she could do was turn her head but even those small movements took more effort than they should have. Lying flat on her back and feeling exposed, Tetra contemplated where she was and how she'd gotten there as her mind bordered on panic.

Unfortunately, or fortunately depending on how you looked at it, she wasn't left to wonder for much longer. Suddenly a new sensation engulfed her, and she couldn't help but scream. Pain mixed with an uncomfortable feeling in her chest she couldn't describe. Since she couldn't sit up, she threw her head back instead to try to see what was going on. A monster, easily as large as a building stood below, its gaping maw opened wide and devouring a golden light which was flowing into it like water from a fountain. Squeezing her eyes shut, she wished for it to stop and, to her surprise, it did.

Her screams faded into nothing, for they'd never been real in the first place, and suddenly she was standing upright, back in Hyrule Field with her mouth partly open in a scream that never made it out of her throat. Dazed, Tetra sank to her knees, breathing hard with a headache quickly developing.

"Tetra, what happened?" Kid asked, crouching down next to her in concern, a hand hovering uncertainly over her left shoulder.

Had he not seen it? Had she imagined it? No, the scene had been too terrifying to not be real. A hallucination then? A mirage? She couldn't understand how it could have been either of those things. She hadn't been spacing out or day dreaming, so what was it? A vision? She certainly hoped not.

"Hello? You okay there?" Midna questioned, snapping Tetra out of her jumbled thoughts. Tetra raised her eyes to meet Midna's skeptical gaze. Taking a deep breath to calm herself, she nodded and stood.

"I just…got dizzy for a minute," Tetra lied, "I'm okay now. Let's keep going."

Her companions both accepted the excuse, Midna more readily than Kid. As they continued to approach Ghirahim, Tetra made sure she didn't fall behind and tried to shake away the event. It didn't mean anything. It never meant anything. The more she tried to convince herself of this, the more she was certain that it really was important. It couldn't have been a vision though. She'd only ever had prophetic dreams, and she wasn't asleep. She'd never had them when she was awake before. There was no way to have them while awake, hence why they were called dreams. However, the familiar headache throbbing against her temples begged to differ.

The strangest thing of the entire experience was that she could identify the petrifying creature composed entirely of ebony scales and sharp white teeth. That wasn't to say that she knew exactly what it was or what it could do, but a name did come to mind right away.  _The Imprisoned_. It wasn't a promising name since she hadn't noticed any chains or restraints of any kind on the massive beast. It sounded appropriate for some reason in her mind, but she couldn't put her finger on why.

Tetra was so lost in her thoughts that she failed to realize that Kid had stopped short, and she bumped into him. Kid didn't protest and she didn't waste any words on mumbled apologies for Ghirahim was just a few feet away. Neither one of them dared to draw closer, lest they get in Link's way as he aimed the Master Sword at Ghirahim's chest.

The sword spirit merely chuckled and batted the blade away with his arm. To everyone's shock, Ghirahim's entire arm, from the fingers to the shoulder, burst into a flurry of white diamonds and, when they dispersed, a metallic black replaced the skin that had once been there.

"Surprised I see. Isn't it such an exquisite form?" Ghirahim grinned, marveling at the enhanced state of his arms. The color of the rest of his skin had changed slightly as well. Jagged black lines traveled up his left leg and practically dominated the left side of his face, giving the appearance of some ugly scar.

Link attempted to hit him again and the demon lord simply held up an arm in defense. The Master Sword bounced off with a metallic clang immediately.

"You'll find the supple skin of my arms more durable than any armor," Ghirahim informed him with a manic glint in is eye and a grin to match.

Link stepped back, eyes carefully calculating and searching for some way to land a hit.

"I must say, you took your time getting here," Ghirahim mused as Kid and Tetra inched closer to Link. "Unfortunately for you there is such a thing as too late."

' _No way. We can't be too late,'_  Tetra told herself,  _'We couldn't have gone any faster. He's lying. He has to be.'_

"The spell is complete!" Ghirahim announced, throwing his arms up as if he wanted to hug the sky. Princess Zelda let out a small cry and Ghirahim laughed.

Link cursed and lunged forward, intending to wipe the smirk off of the demon lord's face. Unfortunately Ghirahim was prepared for this and sent him flying back with a single punch. Tetra ran over to where Link had fallen with Kid on her heels.

"Are you okay?" she asked, kneeling down next to him.

"Yeah," Link replied, wincing as he sat up.

"How are we supposed to beat him now?" Midna wondered, appearing out of Tetra's shadow.

Before Link could form a response an agonized scream cut him off and they all directed their eyes to the sky where the princess was suspended in the air. Midna made to fly up there since she was the only one that could, but Link caught her arm before she could get very far and pulled her back.

"Hey! What are you doing, Link?!" Midna fumed, "I'm the only one that can reach her! Maybe I can stop whatever is going on."

"You can't Midna. You heard Ghirahim, the spell's already complete. You can't change it."

"You never know. Maybe I could if you'd let me  _try_!" Midna argued, attempting to slip out of Link's grip, but his hold was too strong.

Link countered with an argument of his own but the words were lost to Tetra's ears. She could only hear the princess who was screaming in pain and writhing in the air, much like she had been in her little episode earlier. Could she have been seeing through her counterpart's eyes? Looking around, she didn't see any trees and their leafy branches that had constructed the window of sky like she'd seen, and the sky itself, though it was overcast, wasn't nearly as foreboding as it had been. The Imprisoned was also missing. The only thing that held true was the golden light which was flowing out of the princess and…

Tetra gasped at what she saw. Ghirahim stood back, surveying the scene in approval while Tetra stared on in horror. The golden light, which Tetra could only assume was Zelda's soul, was flowing into a blood red urn that she presumed Ghirahim summoned with his magic. The golden light acted like hands, strong and abusive as they broke the red ceramic into fragments and began scooping up ashes as it dipped into and out of the scattered pieces and weaved the ashes together in a swirling mass.

She found herself mesmerized by the sight, but it wasn't fascination that held her in place. It was fear like she'd never known before. Of course she had been scared on the Ghost Ship, she'd been literally petrified by Bellum, and when Ganon had captured her she was so scared she couldn't think straight. The fear that uncoiled inside her now was different. It was so much more than being afraid. It wasn't the fear that came with being apprehensive about doing something and then second guessing your decision when it was already too late. Nor was it an unexplainable fear. It wasn't quite the terror that struck your heart when you knew that you were going to die. It was more akin to the terror that struck your heart and caused it to stop beating because all of your fears had been realized at a single moment. At this moment.

Tetra was glad that she was already sitting down because she knew that her legs could not support her.

"Dear Farore…" Kid breathed, sinking down beside her as he stared at the quickly solidifying figure that was being built from the ground up before her very eyes. She managed to tear her eyes away from the sight to share a fleeting glance with her best friend. Fear was swirling inside his dark emerald orbs, clouding them with its influence and chasing out the courage that normally shined so brilliantly there. He was shaking badly as well, and it was then that she realized she was too.

"What's up with you two?" Midna wondered, "Oh….that's not good…" The Twilight Princess's voice quickly faded as her gold and red eyes landed on the form that had them both trembling with fear. Link must have seen it too for he didn't say anything, but Tetra couldn't be sure since she didn't turn around to check.

The screaming ceased as soon as the golden light died and the princess went completely limp. Tetra couldn't focus on her counterpart for more than a few seconds. Her attention was drawn to the new arrival who was just opening his malice-filled, golden eyes. It was true that his appearance was altered. He wasn't the large man that she remembered, though he was still quite tall, but she knew it was him. His hair was the same shade of orange, his eyes the color of pure gold. Typical traits of a Gerudo. The similarity was uncanny and, unlike the monster she'd unconsciously dubbed The Imprisoned, she knew for a fact the name of the armor-clad man and just what he was capable of. Ganondorf.

Her eyes traveled down to his right hand and even from this distance she could see his Triforce piece resonating. Suddenly, Ghirahim snapped his fingers and pointed at Ganondorf as if accusing him of something. The Master Sword which had previously been held loosely in Link's left hand, suddenly shot away from him, nearly catching Tetra's ear as it whizzed past. She was too shocked to register the danger of it, for the sacred blade cut through the air like it was a thrown spear and buried itself in Ganondorf's chest.

The Gerudo's shock at suddenly being impaled by a sword was as clear as day, and Ghirahim used this to his advantage. Before Tetra could even comprehend what he was doing, the evil sword spirit sprung forward, and repeated what he had already done twice before. Once to her, and once to Kid. He snatched the Triforce of Power out of the air, indifferent to Ganondorf's struggling, although with the Master Sword imbedded in his chest Ganon couldn't do much of anything.

As soon as Ghirahim took away the Triforce of Power, he summoned one of his own swords and in one swift motion, slit Ganondorf's throat. Tetra expected to see blood but the former Gerudo king disintegrated into ash instead and the Master Sword fell to the ground. The golden light that had resurrected him, flowed back into what had originally produced it, Princess Zelda.

Confusion replaced fear and Tetra watched as Ghirahim turned towards them, relishing in their bewildered expressions.

"What did you expect? Did you honestly think I'd bow down to my Master?" Ghirahim scoffed, a smug look on his face, "Last time I did  _that_  he imprisoned me, and in that prison within myself, I realized something." Ghirahim allowed his sword to burst into diamonds and a maniacal grin crawled onto his face. "My Master is holding me back!"

"What better solution but to end his existence for good, hmm? I thank you humbly for letting me use the goddess sword to do so. Magic comes in handy when sacred swords get a little too hot to touch, don't you agree?" Ghirahim chuckled.

"I suppose I should give you a little something in compensation. Here, take the girl; she's served her purpose well," Ghirahim flicked his wrist and the Princess of Hyrule began to fall from her place in the sky. Link scrambled to his feet and ran forward to catch her. He just barely got there in time and slipped in the grass as he caught the still unconscious Princess Zelda in his arms.

"Now then, I believe I can have whatever it is I desire," Ghirahim smirked, snapping his fingers and cradling the three pieces of the Triforce in his hands. The three triangles reacted immediately upon being reunited and flew into the sky, shining brightly. The sacred relic left by the golden goddesses themselves constructed itself in front of their eyes. Tetra knew she couldn't let him have that wish.  _'I wish he was dead,'_  Tetra thought bitterly. This notion invigorated her and she got to her feet. If she could just make it there before the relic made it to the ground then perhaps she could touch it first. Kid seemed to have the same idea for she soon found him running beside her, a familiar look of determination on his face. Tetra smiled to herself. They could do this.

Ghirahim's calm façade shattered as soon as he caught sight of Kid and Tetra. He summoned two black sabers and regarded them in annoyance as he proclaimed, "I  _was_  going to let you run with your meaningless lives but if you insist…it'll be my pleasure to take them from you." Ghirahim laughed as Tetra glared at him and Kid drew his sword.

"Go for the Triforce, I'll hold him off," Kid whispered.

"Don't die," Tetra ordered him.

"Wouldn't dream of it," Kid returned. Tetra waited until Ghirahim was fairly close to them before ducking under one of his ebony blades and running towards the descending Triforce. It was a symbol of hope, just as the gods intended. Ghirahim suddenly obstructed her view of the shining relic and she gasped, her momentum too great to stop. She stumbled right into him and immediately recoiled, but Ghirahim held her there.

The demon lord suddenly gasped in pain and whirled around, releasing Tetra who stumbled back. She looked past Ghirahim to see Kid, wielding the Master Sword. She quickly concluded that he must have picked it up on the way over and was very grateful for his quick thinking. Tetra chose to continue her mission and raced past the distracted sword spirit.

She couldn't help but look back over her shoulder when she heard Ghirahim let out a yell in rage. Kid expertly dodged and attempted to strike the demon lord once again, but Ghirahim brought his arms up into an X position and blocked the attack.

What neither she nor Kid expected was for Ghirahim to lash out with his dual blades. Caught completely off guard, Kid couldn't get his shield up fast enough and only one of the blades was deflected. The other bit into his left shoulder and he cried out, dropping the Master Sword and backing away from Ghirahim who brought the sword he'd struck Kid with to his lips and flicked out his tongue to lick the metal.

Repulsed, but knowing that she couldn't leave her friend to fend for himself with that sadistic freak, Tetra whirled around and bolted back to the pair, instinct driving her forward. She attempted to push Ghirahim off balance. Unfortunately, he sensed her presence and grabbed her outstretched arms. Before she could make a sound he whipped her around. She lost her balance when he released her and fell back into Kid who was closer than she expected him to be. With a pained yelp from Kid and an alarmed cry from herself, they both fell to the ground.

She'd barely regained her senses when Ghirahim stepped forward and raised both of his swords, preparing to finish them both off.  _'Goddess Nayru, protect me!'_ Tetra prayed, instinctively raising an arm to fend off the attack as the demon lord brought his swords down. To both her surprise and her assailant's, a light blue barrier prevented Ghirahim's black sabers from spilling any blood. Ghirahim pushed past the shock much faster than Tetra did and struck the barrier again. Cracks spread out like spider webs across the transparent blue surface and Tetra flinched involuntarily. Another hit like that and their protection would break.

"Tetra…get off," Kid groaned. His voice was unusually strained and she automatically wondered if she was blocking his air flow. Before she could move, the barrier protecting them both shattered like glass, and the two of them were thrown back almost as if a bomb had exploded and the force of it had repelled them.

Disoriented and winded, Tetra struggled to draw in a breath as she rolled to a stop. It was odd. She felt drained, as if she'd used magic, but she hadn't, had she? The barrier had to be Zelda's.  _'Zelda can't be awake yet,'_  Tetra reminded herself.  _'So…did_ I _do that?'_

A quite moan to her left caused her to become concerned for her friend and she turned her head to look against her better judgement. Kid laid on his left side, his face scrunched up in pain. His eyes were closed but she didn't think he was unconscious. He was too tense.

"Kid," she said tentatively, hoping he would respond.

To her relief, he cracked open an eye and mumbled, "Tetra…go."

She shook her head vehemently. "No, I'm not leaving you alone."

Without even trying to hide his grimace, Kid sat up slightly, using his right arm for support. Tetra could now see the generous amount of blood flowing out of the wound on his shoulder, staining both the sleeve of his tunic and the green grass beneath him crimson. "Link has that fairy we caught earlier," Kid reminded her, "I'll be okay so go. If Ghirahim reaches the Triforce first, it's all over."

Tetra got to her feet, knowing that her friend was correct. They could not afford to let Ghirahim get his wish. Her eyes found the awaiting Triforce immediately. It was on the ground now, and Ghirahim was running towards it which was strange since she expected him to be teleporting.  _'Maybe he can't,'_ Tetra thought,  _'but maybe I can.'_ She recalled Princess Zelda using some type of teleportation magic. If she really had been the one to create the barrier that protected both her and Kid, then it wasn't unreasonable to attempt to teleport.

Even as Tetra broke out into a sprint she knew that Ghirahim would most likely reach the golden relic before her. He'd had a head start and even without his teleportation he was fast. She couldn't run as fast as she normally could because of the regal attire she was forced to wear. Unless she could figure out how to teleport in the next few seconds they were all in big trouble. She was virtually clueless as to how she'd even created a barrier before in the first place. As she recalled, she hadn't really done much of anything to make it appear. She had simply been scared that Ghirahim would kill them and prayed to Nayru to…protect her. Could it really be as simple as praying to the goddesses for help?

Tetra sincerely doubted that was all it took but decided to try it anyway.  _'Goddess Farore, allow me to reach the Triforce before Ghirahim,'_ she willed in silence. She didn't break stride and no wind, besides the imaginary one stirred up from her constant movement, whipped around her to deliver her to her destination. "Please?" she added as an afterthought out loud. Still, nothing happened.

She shook her head free of the notion. It wouldn't work. She'd just have to rely on Ghirahim tripping or something. Tetra sped up her pace as much as she dared, her eyes not on her enemy but on the Triforce. It was intended to be a symbol of hope for all mortals and while she now realized that she may not have always been mortal, she certainly was now, and it was the only hope she had of stopping this catastrophe of a day from getting any worse.

' _I_ need  _to get there first,'_  she told herself, envisioning herself standing beside the three golden triangles in memory of a game she'd played with herself when she was a child. Whenever she'd wanted something she knew she couldn't have, she'd picture herself already having it. Of course, it never actually worked, so Tetra was stupefied when one second she was running towards her goal and the next she was right beside it. Unfortunately for her, Ghirahim was close to it as well and if her sudden appearance startled him at all, he didn't show it. Instead he lunged for the Triforce, and she did as well. Relief washed over her when she felt the warm hum of the magic relic buzzing beneath her fingertips. However, upon glancing up at the demon lord who stood on the other side of the sacred relic she noticed that he had his hand on it too.

This situation had certainly never occurred before as far as she knew, and Tetra frantically wondered whose wish it would grant. Whoever had touched it first probably, but that yielded no answers because she had no idea who had laid their hand on it before the other. She could only hope that she had. There was only one way to find out, and she took a deep breath, steeling herself for either the end of this nightmare or the beginning.

"Gods of the Triforce…grant that which I desire!" she began, using the very words her ancestor had when calling on the power of the Triforce so very long ago. "I wish for Ghirahim to join his Master in death. May neither of them return, by resurrection or reincarnation of any sort, ever again!"

Ghirahim seemed genuinely appalled by her wish and his facial expression portrayed his worry that it would come true. She watched him carefully as he glanced himself over to make sure he was still solid. After a few more seconds teeming with suspense it became apparent that nothing was going to happen, and Tetra felt her heart skip a beat. Ghirahim redeemed his lost composure and smirked at her. "Well, will you look at that? I'm still here. Too bad for you. This is a good lesson, actually. You see, life's full of disappointments."

Despite knowing the wish wasn't hers, Tetra kept her hand on the Triforce. She couldn't accept it. The wish couldn't go to Ghirahim. Yet, that wasn't her decision. She had been just a fraction of a second too late.

"I wish for a portal that only I can access that will take me to the alternate world. While, you're at it, whisk those accursed sages, the Earth Sage and the Wind Sage, back to their respective abodes. There, that is what I desire, so let it be!" Ghirahim announced his desires to the heavens with his usual theatrics. The Triforce's power was in no way amplified by the wisher's volume, but Ghirahim seemed to think that it was and his voice rang out triumphantly across the field.

Tetra could only stand there in stunned silence as she began to comprehend the demon lord's wish. Unfortunately, the goddesses couldn't harness the power of the Triforce. If they could, she was sure that they'd summon a portal to send Ghirahim back to whatever dark fissure he'd crawled out from. The Triforce was originally created as a beacon of hope for the mortals as Tetra understood. It was unbelievable how hope could suddenly become corrupted into despair when in the wrong hands.

Even with the soul of a fallen goddess she was powerless to disrupt the scene playing out before her very eyes. The Triforce responded to the demonic sword spirit quicker than she thought it would. He was a demon, no, a demon's weapon. He wasn't mortal so the sacred relic should not have worked and yet…it did. She let her hand slide off of the Triforce's smooth surface and backed away.

A slightly wavering and out of focus purple and teal portal materialized behind Ghirahim, and the Triforce dissembled itself. Despite his ability to use it, Ghirahim could never completely control it for his heart and soul were not pure. The stolen pieces of Wisdom and Courage charged towards their original owners, and Tetra presented her right hand to the oncoming golden triangle instinctively. The Triforce of Wisdom reclaimed its destined place and she stared at the back of her hand as the symbol of the Triforce appeared. Little good it did her now.

Tetra looked up just in time to see the Triforce of Power shoot towards Ghirahim. It had no one else to inhabit, so she supposed it made sense, but it also filled her with dread as the mark of the Triforce came to life on the back of the evil sword spirit's right hand.

Before Tetra could decide on a course of action to take, or realize that she really had no options, Ghirahim spoke, his voice louder than needed and tone gloating as he stood before the portal, ready to step through. "I must say, it's been a pleasure deceiving you," Ghirahim dropped down low into a mock bow, before glancing back up and continuing his speech, "However, I'm moving on to bigger and better things, and I doubt we'll ever meet again. Though, by the slim chance that we do, keep in mind that then I will not be so…lenient. If you seek to kill me, be sure that I will kill you first in the most gruesome of ways. I've suffered for far too long. Now, it's your turn." While these words were enough to chill her to the bone, they weren't what set her on edge. It was his parting words as he stepped back into the portal and disappeared that sent ghost-like fingers crawling up her spine. "Game over heroes. You lose!"


End file.
